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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 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 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 - 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 - 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 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 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 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 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!
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!
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 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 We say farewell to Former Commissioner James Nutter: Dan Dayton |@ 00:30 Poland in WW1 - Part 1: The Oath Crisis |@ 01:45 Poland in WW1 - Part 2: What you probably did not know: Jan Lorys |@ 03:45 The US government federalizes the shipbuilding industry |@ 10:45 Women take up the fight in Europe: Mike Shuster |@ 19:15 Americans who fought before America’s declaration: Richard Rubin & Jonathan Bratten |@ 23:30 President Trump in Paris for Bastille Day WW1 Commemoration |@ 28:45 Junior Master Gardener Poppy Project: Lisa Whittlesey |@ 29:30 NYC museum exhibit: “Posters & Patriotism” |@ 35:45 Utah grant program for WW1 events, research and memorials |@ 36:45 “They Also Served” overlooked WW1 participants |@ 37:45 Story about Star Spangled Banner widely picked up |@ 40:15 The Buzz about gas:Katherine Akey |@ 42:15 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. 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 July 12th, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. Announcement We open today with an announcement from Dan Dayton, the Commission’s Executive Director. Remembering Former Commissioner James Nutter who passed away this week at age 89. Dan Dayton reads a remembrance of Commissioner Nutter and all he did for us here at the commission. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [sound transition] We have moved back in time 100 years ago. Today our wayback machine also crosses the Atlantic to view a crisis that arises in Poland - known as the Polish Oath Crisis! Poland in WW1 - Part 1 Germany, has been hoping to use Poland’s extensive manpower to help them fight the war, Jozef Piłsudski, the leader of the Polish Legion has grown disillusioned with the Central Powers that Germany set up in Poland under the 1916 promise of independence after the war - if Poland sides with her. By now, the revolution in Russia has removed the hated Czar and brought in a government that will probably support Polish independence. Plus... America’s entry into the war makes it even more likely that any Allied-enforced peace will recognize full Polish self-determination, instead of a nominal independence as a German vassal. Jozef Piłsudski sees his chance to make his objections known this week, when the German installed governor of Poland requires that all the soldiers in the Polish Legion swear a loyalty oath to a “future King” of Poland and to be a “loyal brother-in-arms” to the Germans and Austrians! On July 8th, Pilsudski resigns from the provisional government, and instructs the men of the Polish Legions not to swear the oath. The next day, on July 9th most of them agree - and publicly refuse to do so, many throwing down their weapons in protest. This is does not go over well. Polish-Austrian subjects in the Legions are forcibly drafted back into the Austrian army and sent off to the Italian front; Russian and German subjects who refused to swear the oath are treated as enemy combatants and are arrested as prisoners of war. Jozef Piłsudski himself is arrested by the Germans and remains in captivity until the final weeks of the war. Poland in WW1 - Part 2: To help us understand the story of Poland and Polish Americans in WW1, we have a special guest with us today. Jan Lorys, is a historian and the former Director of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago… Welcome Jan! [Jan: to begin with, can you put - Poland as an independent people, nation and culture into the context of the time for us?] [There was a large immigrant wave of pols to the US at the turn of the century, what drove that?] [Why did so many immigrants volunteer to go back and fight, especially since they might have been up against their own countrymen?] Thank you for taking the time to join us Jan… That was Jan Lorys, historian and the former Director of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago talking to us about the Polish experience in WW1. http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/162750174313/polish-oath-crisis [sound effect] US Government Federalizes the Shipbuilding Industry It is the week of July 8 to July 14, 1917. As we explore the pages of the Official Bulletin - the administration’s daily war gazette published by the order of the President by his propaganda chief, George Creel - For a theme this week - we are focusing on ships, shipping, and shipbuilding. There are literally a dozen stories about the war on the waves - Here are a few of them… woven into an interesting picture of a whole industry that is simply being taken over by the federal government. [sound effect] Dateline: July 10, 1917 Headline: PRESIDENT ORDERS 87 GERMAN VESSELS TAKEN OVER FOR THE UNITED STATES. This article points out that in May of 1917, President Wilson approves a joint resolution of congress that allows the united states to take possession of any ships in its national or territorial ports, which are owned in whole or part by companies, citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war. With that as the basis, President Wilson orders that 87 such ships be appropriated by the US government to be “retrofitted” and put back into service for America. The cash value of the 87 ships is not given, but with a war planned to be prosecuted an ocean away, these opening “spoils of war”, are a real boon. Those 87 ships easily represent one or more years of US shipbuilding capacity - now - they belong to the federal government with the stroke of a pen! Speaking of building ships - another headline this week reads [sound effect] Headline:EXPANSION OF U. S. NAVY YARDS BEING PLANNED SO THAT 16 WAR VESSELS MAY BE BUILT AT ONE TIME. Secretary of the Navy Daniels states today: The shipbuilding facilities of the United States navy yards are being expanded so that eventually 16 war vessels may be on the ways at one time, while fully 32 may be in course of construction. This number does not Include submarines and submarine chasers. "All this work at navy yards is being rushed, with the men working overtime and in shifts, and in most cases bonuses are being offered for completion of work ahead of the schedule." [sound effect] Headline: PRESIDENT AUTHORIZES THE REQUISITION OF SHIPPING Expanding on a law that Wilson gets congress to pass - giving him great authority over the maritime industries, President Wilson flips that control over to another powerful industry board he sets up - The United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation. In this article Wilson states: “I hereby direct that the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation shall have and exercise all power and authority vested in me in said section of said act, in so far as applicable to and in furtherance of the construction of vessels, the purchase or requisitioning of vessels in process of construction, whether on the ways or already launched, or of contracts for the construction of such vessels, and the completion thereof, and all power and authority applicable to and in furtherance of the production, purchase, and requisitioning of materials for ship construction. Speaking of materials - that is also addressed this very same week! [sound effect] Dateline: July 12th, 1917 Headline: Entire output of steel available for war needs The story reads: "At the conference this morning between the committee of the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Chairman of the Shipping Board, and others, further discussion was had about the prospective demand upon the steel industry - for supplies of various steel products for carrying on the war. The steel men repeated their assurance that their entire product would be available for the need, -- and that they were doing everything possible to stimulate an increased production and speed deliveries. " The price to be paid for the iron and steel products was left to be determined after the inquiry by the Federal Trade Commission is completed, ---- with the understanding that the price, when fixed, would insure reasonable profits and be made with reference to the expanding needs of this vital and fundamental industry. The government is not only after the control of the resources but also of the labor [sound effect] Dateline: Friday July 18th, 1917 Headline: LABOR FOR NAVY YARDS BEING SUPPLIED BY CIVIL SERVICE This story talks about how the labor for the expansion is being supported by the government’s civil service commission. It goes on to state: “The Civil Service Commission is an employment agency on a large scale, but it goes beyond the functions of the ordinary employment agency in that it tests the fitness of every person it certifies as eligible. Equipped as it is with 3,000 representative agencies — that is, local boards of examiners—situated in every part of the country, it is eminently qualified to perform the important service of bringing the man and the job together, so far as the needs of the Government are concerned. Then on Friday - the Official Bulletin reveals the big story - The - to me - jaw dropping announcement that The administration is going to federalize the entire ship building industry! WHAT!? [sound effect] Dateline: Friday July 18th, 1917 Headline: STATEMENT ABOUT THE PROGRAM TO FEDERALIZE SHIPYARDS The article goes on to read: “ Because of their varied contracts for shipbuilding, the yards can not carry out this program without the help of the Government; it has, therefore, been decided that the shipbuilding industry of the Nation shall be federalized. All steel merchant ships now on the building berths will be forthwith requisitioned by the United States, and each yard will proceed to complete such ships under the direction of the general manager of the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation and will take on new work only with his consent. Wow! There are a bunch of other headlines but we need to stop here and just review - Remember these headlines are just from articles THIS WEEK! FIRST - Wilson expands the US maritime fleet by nearly 90 ships - by appropriating all the vessels in US and US territorial ports if are connected to any nation, company or citizen of a nation we have declared war on. NEXT - Secretary of the Navy Daniels declares that we are pushing the US Navy shipyards into doubling their production capacity. THEN - Wilson officially empowers an organization called the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation with general control over the industry… FOLLOWED BY - The steel manufacturers gathering in Washington to agree that their entire output and industry is now at the beckon call of the US government - at a “to be negotiated price”. The labor force and hiring for the NAVY shipbuilding industry is put under control of the government’s Civil Service Commission ALL THIS IS TOPPED OFF WITH the announcement on Friday that - the entire shipbuilding industry NAVY and CIVIL is being federalized and put under the control of the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation. The bottom line seems to be that 100 years ago this week - the US government literally takes over and federalizes the entire US shipbuilding industry including supply and labor. That a shocking and almost inconceivable turn of events for a free enterprise, democratic, capitalist nation - Yet it is another part of the war that changed the world. Great War Project Our next guest is Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. We have explored Poland, shipbuilding in the US and now Mike takes us to the UK where more soldiers are being freed up to fight - by women! Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/07/09/women-at-war/ The Great War Channel To watch videos about WW1 100 years ago this week, from a more european perspective, go visit our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new episodes cover: The destroyed villages of France - Fleury Turmoil in the reichstag - the Kerensky offensive German defenses in the Meuse Argonne region - this story is a preview of a region that will become a major battle ground for American soldiers in the near future! The link is in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar Storyteller and the Historian They are back! This week: the Storyteller and the Historian talk about the many Americans who served under other flags prior to the US entry into WW1. [Audio S&H] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking Americans in WW1 before America’s entry. A monthly full one-hour journey with these two great raconteurs is now available as a podcast on itunes: Search for Storyteller & Historian in the iTunes Podcast sections 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 President Trump in Paris As we mentioned last week, On July 14, 2017 US President Trump and French President Macron will both honor the long and special bond between France and the US during a Bastille day parade in Paris that remembers American troops arriving in France 100 years ago. It looks like we will not have access to a live stream of the event, however, we will gather videos and pictures for you and post them on our social media platforms on Facebook @ww1centennial and on Instagram @ww1cc. The commission sees the common recognition of the centennial by the leadership of both countries as a significant moment in the centennial commemoration of the War that changed the world! Junior Master Gardener Poppy Project This week we want to introduce you to a new collaboration we are very excited about! The 4H club and it’s Junior Master Gardener Program. This is an international youth gardening program that engages children in “hands-on” group and individual learning experiences that develop an appreciation for the environment and gardening - cultivating both the ground and - the mind. In commemoration of the centennial of WW1, the Junior Master Gardeners are going to work with the WW1 centennial Commission on a Poppy program! We are so excited about this great initiative that will extend the conversation and awareness about the war that changed the world to the kids. With us today is Lisa Whittlesey, Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program. Lisa - good to have you with us! [Lisa: I have to start by telling you that I REALLY like your website at jmgkids.us - it’s green and happy and really fun - So let’s start with the JMG program itself - Can you tell us more about it?] [ Lisa: How does the JMG poppy program work?] Thank you Lisa! That was Lisa Whittlesey, the Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program introducing us to their new WW1 Poppy Program. We will be talking about this more over the coming week. We are setting up a special page for the program at ww1cc.org/jmg. We put that link and the Junior Master Gardener web site link in the podcast notes. Links: http://jmgkids.us http://ww1cc.org/jmg 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: link:https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/legend-memory-and-great-war-air New York: Exhibit, posters and patriotism We mentioned this in passing last week, but if you’re in the Big Apple, go to the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan and see their new “Posters and Patriotism” exhibit featuring the work of many New York artists and illustrators that were enlisted to create posters, flyers, magazine art, sheet music covers, and other mass-produced images to stir the American public to wartime loyalty, duty, and sacrifice. Besides finding this in the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events there is also an interview on the site with show curator Donald Albrecht where he discusses some of his favorite pieces from the show, which includes the James Montgomery Flagg’s “Uncle Sam Wants You” poster. We put the links to the event and the article in the podcast notes link:http://ww1cc.org/events http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2758-four-questions-for-donald-albrecht.html http://www.mcny.org/exhibition/posters-and-patriotism http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/42753/posters-and-patriotism.html Link:http://ww1cc.org/events Updates From The States [sound effect] Now for our updates from the states, and we’ll start with a new program from the Beehive state - Utah! Utah An exciting new opportunity for grants has launched in the state of Utah. The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and the Division of State History are offering grants for World War I-related research, commemorative events, as well as the cleaning and restoration of memorials around the state. The funding ranges from $500 to $1,500 for events and research and up to $5,000 for the cleaning and restoration of WWI memorials. This is a great extension of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program if you are in the state! Gary Harter, executive director of the veterans and military affairs department, states “Even 100 years after it occurred, the impacts of World War I are still felt today.”, He continues with “These grants will assist in allowing the war’s significance to be remembered and those who fought it to be honored.” Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865684168/New-grants-available-for-World-War-I-commemorative-events-displays.html https://heritage.utah.gov/history International Report Remembering Caribbean and African Imperial Soldiers In our International Report this week, we head to Birmingham, where the “They Also Served” research project recently held a remembrance service at the New Testament Church of God in with guest speaker Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen. Dr Joe Aldred, from Churches together in England, helped organize. He said, "There's something about living in the diaspora that means that the major narratives tend to tell the story of the majority community and in that regard the world wars and the participation of African and Caribbean people in the world wars from Britain's colonies - that is no exception. Why are we not represented when it comes time to commemorate?" They’re not the first to bring into public conversation this issue of overlooked groups that served in the war. Dr. Sashi Tharoor, MP for Thiruvananthapuram, author of 15 books, former Minister of State in India and former Under Secretary General of the United Nations, has spoken about this oversight recently himself. In an interview with Sky News earlier this year: [RUN CLIP] It is now recognised that over 2 million Africans and 16,000 Caribbeans, not to mention countless Black Britons that joined British regiments, served during the war, a war that is often viewed at a white man’s war but that was truly global. Learn more about They Also Served by visiting the project website, where you can view photos, follow the project’s upcoming events and learn about individuals that served in their blog. Follow the links in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Birmingham-churches-to-honour-WW1-s-African-and-Caribbean-servicemen http://theyalsoserved.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/ShashiTharoor/videos/10154627859308167/ Spotlight in the Media Story about Star Spangled Banner gets Press For our Spotlight in the Media segment - we wanted to update you on the story we ran last week about the Star Spangled Banner and it’s WW1 connection to sporting events. It was the WW1 Centennial Commission’s public affairs team that sourced the original story and as it turns out with Sports Illustrated pushing out a parallel piece - - so - the whole thing really took off last week and got picked up by media outlets all across the country including ABC, the Chicago Tribune, the Sacramento Bee, Columbus Dispatch and Tucson Arizona Star and a bunch of others all carried the story of the National Anthem and the World Series game of 1918. One of our key goal is to inspire a national conversation about WW1 and we love it when these stories about WW1 get picked up all over! You’ll find a passle of links the podcast notes. Links: Original http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2708-cubs-red-sox-world-series-in-1918-key-in-u-s-love-affair-with-national-anthem.html http://wtop.com/fourth-of-july/2017/07/14483876/slide/1/ http://wgnradio.com/2017/07/04/chicagos-very-own-wayne-messmer-wrigley-field-and-our-national-anthem-anthem-singer/ http://www.local8now.com/content/sports/1918-World-Series-key-in-US-love-affair-with-national-anthem-432523063.html https://www.si.com/more-sports/2017/07/04/star-spangled-banner-national-anthem-sports-colin-kaepernick http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBO_JULY_FOURTH_ANTHEM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/1918-world-series-key-us-love-affair-national-48416844 http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/1918-world-series-key-in-us-love-affair-with-national-anthem/ar-BBDFPKE http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170704/baseball-gave-rise-to-national-anthem http://www.sacbee.com/sports/article159406654.html http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170704/baseball-gave-rise-to-national-anthem http://tucson.com/ap/sports/world-series-key-in-us-love-affair-with-national-anthem/article_930cd8da-64f8-544f-b262-d5db664ee21d.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? Americans Underground The Smithsonian Channel is airing a new documentary, “Americans Underground” about the tunnels and dugouts that became home to thousands of soldiers during WW1. link:https://www.facebook.com/SmithsonianChannel/videos/10156269967403357/ http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/full-episodes The Yellow Cross A new chemical weapon makes its debut on the front -- mustard gas link:https://simonjoneshistorian.com/2014/02/04/yellow-cross-the-advent-of-mustard-gas-in-1917/ Thank you Katherine. We also want to let you know that announce each weeks podcast with a post on our facebook page @ww1centennial - This is a great place to comment and discuss the stories you hear - we monitor the post and try to answer your questions, add insight and chat with you our Podcast audience. Check it out this Friday. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Jan Lorys, historian and the former Director of the Polish Museum of America speaking with us about the Polish American experience during the war, Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about women and their varied wartime roles in the UK. Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten and their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on Americans in Europe prior to the US declaration of war, Lisa Whittlesey, Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program, telling us about their collaboration with our Poppy Program Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. And I am Theo Mayer - your host. We also want to thank the Pritzker Military Museum and Library our founding sponsor! Visit their WW1 website at www.pritzkermilitary/ww1. There is also a link in the podcast notes LINK:www.pritzkermilitary/ww1 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 again this week. So long. [music] 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 History: Pershing’s 4th of July 1917 |@ 01:30 History: Race riots in East St. Louis |@ 03:45 Feature: US Official Bulletin - Logistics |@ 06 :00 Guest: Joe Johnson, Logistics Expert: Defense Acquisition University |@ 10:30 Guest: Mike Shuster, Espionage Act attack on bill of rights |@ 15:50 News: President Donald Trump heading to Paris for WW1 Franco/US commemoration parade |@ 20:30 Event: Commissioner O’Connell “Feeding The Fight” with WWI culinary event in NYC |@ 22:00 Guest: Ellouise Schoettler “Ready to Serve” - one woman show about WWI Nurses |@ 23:15 States: Texas exhibit: “From Cowboy to Doughboy” & Jim Hodgson article |@ 29:15 International: London mail tunnels reopen as museum attraction |@ 30:10 Feature: 16-year-old teenage girl flies 100-year-old Jenny |@ 31:20 WWrite Blog: New post flips on convention with writer exploring redeeming qualities of combat violence!? |@ 34:00 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. 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 July 5th, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. Correction First, a quick correction from last week’s episode #26. In support of our article on Harley Davidson in World War 1, we posted a picture of a line of tough looking soldiers, goggles over their eyes, weapons places on thighs, and gas masks at the ready. It’s a great picture - BUT….. It turns out that this image was not actually - from WW1 but a bit later. So… we have replaced that image at ww1cc.org/cn with an equally interesting photo of a Harley - This time definitely from WW1 - and this bad boy is fully equipped with a machine gunner side-car. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [sound transition] We have moved back in time 100 years ago. It is the morning of July 4th 1917. At his residence in Paris, General John J. Pershing comes to his window as he hears the musical peals of the “Star Spangled Banner”. The music being played outside by the 4th mounted band of the French Republican Guard having arrived at the residence with a large crowd of people to honor the General and the members of the 2nd battalion, 16th infantry who had just arrived in Paris from Saint Nazaire the previous day. At a critical time during America’s Revolutionary War against Britain, the French had come to the aid of the United States, and today on the 4th of July, 1917, the French citizens of Paris are showing their gratitude and respect for the alliance renewed and the favor returned. Pershing, with soldiers from the 16th Infantry, begin a full day of events. This includes the descendants of French officers of the American Revolution who present their banners to Pershing. The symbol of Franco-American friendship is not lost on Pershing. He notes that Napoleon declared days of national mourning after the death of George Washington. Pershing will recall this event warmly in his memoire. Quote “No other occasion that I recall was more significant or more clearly indicated the depth of French sentiment and affection for their old ally.” Afterwards, the American and French battalions and a military band march to the Cemetiere de Picpus to visit the grave of the Marquis de Lafayette, a French hero of the American Revolution. On the route, hundreds of thousands throng the parade, giving particular attention to the marching American soldiers. French ladies push into the ranks walking arm in arm with the soldiers. Arriving at the cemetery, Pershing is coaxed into some brief remarks but soon turn it over to Lt. Colonel Charles Stanton who’s remarks include a line that will echo through history - “Lafayette, we are here!” This account of the 4th of July 1917 come from an article published by the American Battle Monuments Commission - the link to the article is in the podcast notes: https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/july-4th-1917-paris-celebrating-united-states%E2%80%99-arrival-world-war-i [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: July 2nd, 1917 Headline: Race riots in East St. louis There is tension leading to violence in East St. Louis this day. The massive industrial expansion brought on by the war effort in the North and the Midwest, are drawing in new sources of labor including African Americans from the rural south. The newcomers are not universally welcomed by the white population. Certainly there are concerns about job security - but there is also the deep seated and pervasive racisms of the time. On July 2nd, 1917 the situation goes out of control! It begins as several white men in a car shoot into a crowd of black pedestrians and drive off. When an hour later a similar car comes back into the neighborhood, locals fire back and two plainclothes police detectives - inside the car - are killed. The situation escalates as white mobs descend on East St. Louis -- while the police look the other way. Over the next day, reports are that 150 black people are shot, beaten to death or lynched. Rioters torch large section of the neighborhood as over 7,000 people lose their homes. Finally on July 4th, the National Guard arrives in force and the riots are put to an end. People call on President Wilson to address the issue but he stays largely silent. Plans for a 10,000 man march in NY city are being made by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - the NAACP to protest the situation. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: June 28th 1917 Headline: BAKER TO CENSOR ALL TROOP NEWS Today the New York Times reports that Secretary of War - Newton Baker is very very upset by the publication of dispatches from France telling of troop movements and Pershing’s men arriving. This puts him at direct odds with George Creel, President Wilson’s Propaganda chief and publisher of the Official Bulletin, the government’s daily war gazette. Clearly there is great tension between the desire to “sell the war” and the military needs for secrecy… a tension that is not going away anytime soon. Speaking of the Official Bulletin - This week - we picked another topic to emphasize through the week’s articles in the bulletin - this week we look at LOGISTICS [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Thursday July 5, 1917 Headline: HUGE FIGURES SHOWING THE SCALE OF ARMY OPERATIONS AT PRESENT TIME ARE GIVEN Here are some illustrative figures showing the scale of Army operations: Purchases have been authorized as follows : Over five million blankets. Thirty-seven million yards of bobbinette. Two million cots. Forty-five million five hundred thousand yards cotton cloth, olive drab. Twenty-one million three hundred thousand yards unbleached cloth. Six million pairs of shoes. Eleven million one hundred and ninety one thousand pairs light woolen socks. Compared to 1915 In the year 1915, for sustenance for the army personnel $9,800,000; this year, $133,000,000. In the year 1915, $10,000,000 for regular supplies ; this year, almost $110,000,000. In 1915, $13,000,000 for transportation ; this year, almost $222,000,000. “The list goes on… but the scale of change in acquisition and therefore the need to organize that - logistics - is impressive. In terms of construction - three quick stories this week alone [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: SIXTEEN TENTED CITIES WILL BE BUILT FOR THE GUARDSMEN The story reads: The War Department authorizes the following : Construction has begun on 16 wooden cities for our new National Army, but this is only half of the military cities which will soon be ready for our soldiers. Steps are now being taken to build 16 cities of tents to receive the National Guardsmen who will be called to the colors soon. It will not take so long to make them ready for the troops, and for this reason - the work on them has been held back until the wooden cities were planned and put under contract. [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR EACH OF 32 ARMY CANTONMENTS The American Library Association has been asked by the War Department's Commission on Training Camp Activities to furnish public library facilities to the 32 cantonments and National Guard training camps to be opened by the War Department about September 1, and the association has undertaken to render the desired service. [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: PAYMENTS TO CONTRACTORS FOR ARMY CANTONMENTS EXPLAINED The story reads: Col. I. W. Littell, Quartermaster Corps, who is in charge of cantonment construction, in a letter sent to the General Munitions Board in reply to reported delays between the forwarding of invoices for materials shipped on Government order and the date of payment therefor, states : " It is the intention of the cantonment division to pay contractors for the National Army cantonments daily, covering material inspected and accepted and to which the United States takes title; weekly, for the purpose of their payrolls ; and monthly, on the 9th of the month, for all other bills not settled for in the daily payments. [Sound Effect] Headline: SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES FOR NATIONAL GUARD AND NATIONAL ARMY IN GOOD TIME ASSURED In The Last Three Months, More Troops Have Been Outfitted Than During Entire Spanish-American War - U. S. Soldiers in France Have Six Months' Supplies With Them. “The article explains that Secretary Baker went ahead and put in the orders for these massive supplies before there was actually the money to do so - and - the article states “It saved the day! The adjournment of Congress March 4, without passing, the urgent, deficiency bill, left the War Department without money to pay for the supplies for future needs, but the orders were placed and a great saving of time was effected. All this speaks to a level of coordination and process that is unprecedented.. This is called logistics. Guest Joe Johnson, Chief of Staff at the Defense Acquisition University And with us today is an expert on the subject - Joe Johnson, is the Chief of Staff at the Defense Acquisition University. Welcome Joe! [Joe - Let me start by asking about the Defense Acquisition University? What is it?] [Joe: The scale of the war effort ramp up is incredible and actually probably hard for us to fathom today. Was there any precedent to this? ] [Joe: The subject here - logistics - is as big as the war effort - and there really are two giant heads on this hydra - here and Europe - so just for today - I want to focus here in the US. How did this logistics capability change our nation - then - and into the following century - to today?] [what encompasses logistics - for most it’s only a word - but it’s much more than that, isn’t it?] Joe, if we can I would like to have you back over the coming weeks - though this is not the “flag, glory and fight” part of what happened 100 years ago - this really is a major aspect to the war that changed the world - and our country That was Joe Johnson, the Chief of Staff at the Defense Acquisition University - Joe does a full length presentation on logistics - If you woudl like to contact joe, send us a note here at ww1cn@worldwar1centennial.org and we will get you in touch. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/contact.html [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Our next guest is Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. This week Mike is going to give us some in-depth on a subject we opened a few episodes ago - The 1917 Espionage act. It and the following year’s Sedition Act are probably the most draconian assaults on the bill of rights in our nation’s history. Welcome Mike. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/07/02/rebel-now-boys/ [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel To watch WW1 videos on what was happening 100 years ago this week, go visit our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new episodes cover a variety of subjects including: A hardware piece on the Armoured trains of WW1 A fascinating story about Russia’s new offensive - The Russian Women’s Battalion of Death AND --- Fighting without a country - the Czechoslovak Legions of WW1 The link is 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 into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. News The biggest news for the centennial and the commemoration was announced late last week. From Bloomberg the headline reads: President Trump to attend Bastille Day Parade in Paris honoring WWI U.S. soldiers who arrived in France 100 years ago U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to attend France’s Bastille day celebrations as the two men put aside differences to pay tribute to the U.S. soldiers who fought in France 100 years ago. Trump will attend the traditional July 14 military parade where American troops will march alongside French soldiers to commemorate the centenary of the U.S. entry into World War I, - the offices of both leaders said. This is a pretty exciting acknowledgement of the centennial by the white house and we will continue to cover the story both here and hopefully with a live stream of the event on July 14th. We are working on it - Stay tuned! Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-28/trump-accepts-macron-invitation-s-to-attend-bastille-day-parade 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: Feeding the Fight On July 18th at the Museum of the City of New York - in Manhattan, WW1 Centennial Commissioner Libby O’Connell will delve into American cuisine both at home and abroad during war years. Among her many skills, Dr. O’Connell is also a food historian and author of The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites. The event, inspired by the museum’s exhibition, Posters & Patriotism: Selling World War I in New York, will feature both well known and lesser known foodstuffs for attendees to sample. French 75s, a cocktail popular during the period named for the French 75 mm field gun, will be served courtesy of the new wine cocktail company Pampelonne. Additionally, attendees will receive a copy of an original cake recipe promoted by the Red Cross to send to soldiers overseas. Read more about the event by following the link in the podcast notes, Also look for events happening in your area by searching on our U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register - where you can submit your own upcoming WW1 events by clicking on the big read button - it is all at ww1cc.org/events all lower case - or follow the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.mcny.org/event/feeding-fight-culinary-history-wwi http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/41704/feeding-the-fight-the-culinary-history-of-wwi.html http://ww1cc.org/events [sound effect] Capital Fringe Performance “ready to serve”: Interview with Ellouise Schoettler Another event we want to let you know about is a one woman show happening as a part of July’s Capital Fringe Festival in Washington DC - called “Ready to Serve”. It is about WW1 nurses. Here with us today is Ellouise Schoettler, spoken word artist, to talk to us about her upcoming performance. Ellouise, thank you for joining us today! [Ellouise - I understand you’ve put two years of work into researching and writing this show, can you tell us about it? [ What was it about the Nurses’ experience during the war that first drew you to the subject?] [Ellouise - What do you do to engage modern day audiences, who may not be familiar with WW1 at all, with stories of individuals from 100 years ago? link:http://ellouiseschoettler.com/ Showtimes at festival: http://wwonenurses.weebly.com/ Updates From The States [sound effect] Now for our updates from the states. Texas From the North Texas World War 1 Centennial Commission -- a new exhibit opens July 9th at the Fort Worth Central Library. The exhibit “From cowboy to doughboy” looks at the impact of WW1 on Texas and Texan life and on the state as the whole. We put a link in the podcast notes to an article written by Jim Hodgson, executive director of the Fort Worth Aviation Museum about life in Texas during the war. Our friends from the North Texas World War 1 Centennial Commission are also has a number of other events, including film screenings like Wings, The Big Parade and All Quiet on the Western Front and lectures about training camps, the Native American and African American experience of the war and much more. Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.fortworthbusiness.com/news/briefs/from-cowboy-to-doughboy-north-texas-in-wwi-mobilization-for/article_6f4878b2-5e8f-11e7-b54f-53369c294440.html https://www.northtexasworldwar1centennial.org/events/ International Report Tunnels in london In our International Report this week, we’re going to the London Underground, but not to the train tracks you might first think of. Under London’s streets runs 6.5 miles of train tunnels built solely to help the city transport mail. In the years leading up to WW1, the streets of London became clogged with horse and buggies and, increasingly, the speedy automobile. It became difficult and nearly impossible to successfully deliver mail and parcels above ground, so the Postal service circumvented the congestion altogether. In 1914, construction began and the mail moved from the surface to the tunnels. The tunnels also served a special Wartime purpose during WW1, safeguarding art treasures belonging to the National Portrait Gallery and the Tate Gallery, including the Rosetta Stone. In WW2, the tunnels were put back into the war effort as dormitories for troops, and…. flooding a few times during the blitz. London shut the whole thing down well over a decade ago - but it is now re-opening as a postal museum and attraction - where visitors can see replica locomotives, engineer tools, the bag exchange system and more. Learn about the history of this unique mail system and a new place to visit in London by following the link in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/06/22/secret-tunnels-were-hidden-beneath-london-since-wwi-soon-you-can-visit-them Spotlight in the Media High Flying Teen is Awesome For our Spotlight in the Media segment - we spotted an article from the Air Museum Network. The headline of the article reads: “Pennsylvania Teen Makes Solo Flight in 100-Year-Old Curtiss Jenny” Meet Caroline Dougherty, a young lady who turned 16 earlier this year. While many soon-to-be 16 year olds are dreaming of a sweet sixteen party, Caroline had her head firmly in the clouds with dreams of flying her father’s pride and joy, his 100-year-old Curtiss JN-4D “ the flying Jenny”. And she GOT to fly the Curtiss - at a Flying Circus Airshow, impressing all spectators including her visibly proud papa. Paul Daugherty, Caroline’s father, is a bit of an aviation enthusiast, and runs an outfit called Dougherty Airshows with planes he restores. Caroline grew up in the world of aviation and history, with dad serving as the announcer for their family airshows. If her impressive solo-flight is any indication, this high flying lass will continue to be an important part of the US air show circuit for years to come. Read more about her flight in the Curtiss by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://airmuseumnetwork.com/pennsylvania-teen-makes-solo-flight-100-year-old-curtiss-jenny/ http://www.doughertyairshows.com/ Articles and Posts The Bridge arrives in NYC 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 - This week in the news section you will find an article following up on last week’s “Bridge Race” commemorating the arrival of US Troops in France. The Queen Mary II -- the Cunard Cruise Line’s flagship ocean liner -- made port Saturday morning at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, after taking part in The Bridge 2017 -- a trans-Atlantic trip, themed to commemorate the 100th year of World War I, and 100 years of friendship between France and the United States. You’ll find the article and beautiful images of the Queen in NY harbor on her arrival in an article posted at ww1cc.org/news all lower case. The Cunard’s historical connection to WW1 reaches back to May 7th, 1915 when one of their ships - the Lusitania - was sunk by the Germany - beginning the shift of US sentiment against war neutrality in WW1. The US WW1 Commission co-sponsored an event at NY harbor on the centennial of the sinking - you can a link to that story and the video of that commemorative ceremony in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2704-the-bridge-has-arrived-in-new-york-city.html Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/650-lusitania-commemoration-events-in-nyc-and-dc.html WWrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: “Ernst Jünger: The Modern War Story“ This week, in an interesting flip on convention, the WWrite post steps out of the current narrative in war literature to explore our culture's allure not to peace, but to violence. Rather than glorifying war, recent memoirs and books have concentrated on its debilitating and destructive effect on the returning soldier. In this post, award-winning veteran writer Elliot Ackerman gives us his take on Ernst Jünger's seminal war memoir, Storm of Steel, and the ways in which it assigns a redeeming quality to combat violence. Don't miss this most interesting post. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/2674-the-modern-war-story-by-elliot-ackerman.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 Star Spangled Banner and WW1 How did the Star Spangled Banner become a National Anthem -- and an integral part of sporting events? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-wrigley-field-national-anthem-20170703-story.html Polish Americans Signing up Polish Americans volunteer in incredible volumes. https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/800320173476616/?type=3&theater Thank you Katherine. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Joe Johnson, Chief of Staff at the Defense Acquisition University talking to us about LOGISTICS Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about the 1917 Espionage act Ellouise Schoettler, spoken word artist and her one woman show: “Ready to Serve” about WW1 nurses Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. And I am Theo Mayer - your host. Appeal As you know, we are totally supported by donations, and we want to thank the many of you who contributed during the runup and over the 4th of July holiday. It was, in fact, the most successful donor period we have had to date. Thank you for your great support. We also want to thank the Pritzker Military Museum and Library our founding sponsor! Visit their WW1 website at www.pritzkermilitary/ww1. There is also a link in the podcast notes LINK:www.pritzkermilitary/ww1 Wrapup 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 again this week. So long. [music]
Highlights Help: 4th of july donation appeal video | @00:00 Feature: The Red Cross we know today | @01:45 Guest: Mike Shuster - The anti-war resistance “over there” | @11:00 War In The Sky: Louis Bennet | @15:30 Guests: Richard Rubin & Jonathan Bratten - General Robert Nivelle | @19:00 Feature: Keith Colley’s Mobile WW1 Museum | @26:15 Guest: Jerry Meyer bringing back Chautauqua | @27 :45 International: Many events in France last week | @33:00 And much more… ----more---- Please Help Hi listeners Before we get going today, I wanted to let you know about this special 4th of July thing we are doing - and that you can help with. As you know, we are totally donation supported, and so for the fourth of July, we got some friends to help us with a donation appeal video. Ambassador and former Senator Carol Mosely Braun, Secretary Leon Panneta, Google’s Vint Cert and General Barry McCaffrey are all in this 20 second video which we posted on our Facebook page. And here is how you can help us. We’re on Facebook at ww1centennial - so go to Facebook.com/ww1Centennial - the video is the first post - and share the video with your friends and let them know we need their help to build America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington, DC. So far the video has shared over 130 times - and each time it is shared we get a few more new donations. So if YOU can - please make a small gift to our WW1 Doughboys and even if you can’t - please share the video on your social media. It’s really about our remembering the war that changed the world. WW1 THEN - News From 100 Years Ago Looking back at WW1 100 years ago this week - we are going to follow just ONE of the many amazing stories This week we are following the story of the RED CROSS. The American Red Cross or ARC was Founded by Clara Barton in May of 1881, earning a historic role for serving people in need. When Europe was thrown into conflict in June 1914, the American Red Cross was a small organization still in the process of developing its identity and programs. In large part the American Red Cross we know today was forged by the “War The Changed the World” when the organization suddenly found itself deeply embroiled in the incredible upheaval, growth and expansion that was America’s war effort. The transformation began as we declared war in April of 2017. At that crucial time, and as with so many other things, Red Cross headquarters was reeling under the sudden projected demands on it - so in May of 2017, President Wilson appointed Henry P. Davidson - A successful New York banker to head a “War Council”, which was to direct the Red Cross. YUP - It looks pretty much like a US war effort takeover. So by the end of June - 100 years ago this week - Having just knocked it out of the park with the Liberty Bonds drive - the US government turned its sights on successfully wrapping up $100 Million fund drive from private donations on behalf of the Red Cross. Think about it - that is over $2 billion in 2017 being raised for a private organization with the direct support of the US federal government. Here is what it looked like 100 years ago this week in the pages of the Official Bulletin - the Government War Gazette headed by George Creel - America’s propaganda chief for President Woodrow Wilson. Dateline: June 25th, 1917 Headline: BELIEVE THE $100,000,000 RED CROSS FUND WILL BE RAISED A thousand American cities were striving today to boost the big Red Cross war fund to an even $100,000,000. With returns well over the three-quarters mark this afternoon, the War Council officers were confident that by the close of the day the Red Cross war fund would be In hand.” On the same day... [sound effect] Headline: "WAR IS BUT BEGINNING," LORD NORTHCLIFFE SAYS, IN OUTLINING TASK OF THE RED CROSS The story reads: “Lord Northcliffe, of the British war mission, who has been at the front and has seen at close quarters the actual part that the British Red Cross is playing in the gigantic world struggle, has given out the following statement relative to the work that the American Red Cross has before It : " If, as one of the leaders of the British Red Cross, I have a message of any kind to the American Red Cross, it Is one of congratulation on the devotion and enthusiasm for Red Cross work I find sweeping this vast continent. " He goes on to state: “The Red Cross must take up the burden of seeing us through and alleviating the horrors a ruthless foe has added to the usual sufferings of war. Adding: " One of the most Important of the new developments is the search for the missing and wounded.” The next day the drumbeat continues: [sound effects] Dateline: Tuesday June 26, 1917 Headline: 100,000,000 DOLLAR Red Cross War Fund is Oversubscribed The story reads: The Red Cross to-day issued the following statement: The Red Cross war fund of $100,000,000 has been raised. The even sum was passed some time during the night. Today's returns continued to boost the sum by the millions. Before noon the grand total was $104,000,000, with a prospect that $105,000,000 would be marked up on the big headquarters blackboard before night. One day later on Wednesday… [sound effects] Dateline: Wednesday June 27th, 1917 Headline: MILLIONS STILL BEING ADDED TO THE RED CROSS WAR FUND The Red Cross to-day issued the following statement: How much over $100,000,000 the war fund of the American Red Cross will go is purely a matter of conjecture. Taking into consideration all overlapping of subscriptions that may occur, the fund should be at least fifteen or twenty million dollars over the goal by July 1. The campaign officially terminated on Monday night, but hundreds of cities throughout the country have volunteered to go right on with collecting funds for the Red Cross. And on the same day [sound effects] Dateline: Wednesday June 27th, 1917 Headline: RED CROSS WAR COUNCIL ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR DEALING WITH PROBLEMS OF SANITATION The Red Cross to-day issued the following statement: Broad plans for dealing with the problems of sanitation and public health arising out of war conditions abroad and in the United States were announced to-day by the War Council of the American Red Cross. To provide expert advice for the council in dealing with these problems, the war council also announced the appointment of a medical advisory committee, composed of leading sanitarians and public health authorities of the country. And then on Thursday - the US State Department oversteps its bounds and the Red Cross pushed back - politely. [sound effects] Dateline:Thursday June 28th, 1917 Headline: RED CROSS SEEKS CHANGE IN BASE HOSPITAL RULING On June 20 the American Red Cross’ director general of the department of military relief, forwarded to the directors of all Red Cross base hospitals a copy of a letter received from the State Department - to the effect that - hospital units intended for service abroad should not Include persons of German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian, or Turkish nationality or birth, or American citizens whose fathers were born in Germany, Austro-Hungary, or allied countries.” The Red Cross goes on to explain that this type of policy may work in a country with very few people of foreign birth but in America, an immigrant nation Quote: “such unfair discrimination against some of our most patriotic and respected citizens is inappropriate”. Then on Friday the most interesting and intriguing Red Cross article of all: [sound effect] Dateline: Friday June 29th, 1917 Headline: MILITARY TITLES, RANK, AND UNIFORM WILL BE USED BY RED CROSS AGENTS IN WAR THEATER The Story reads: War Department Will Commission Representatives of the Organization to Facilitate Their Work in Service of Humanity—Appropriate Insignias to Be Provided. What a great topper for a week of stories about the Red Cross! Let me summarize: First The US government creates a War Council - appoints their man - Henry P. Davidson - and effectively puts him in charge of the Red Cross through this war council. Then the US government puts its imprint, endorsement and propaganda machine on a major multi-billion dollar (in today’s terms) fund raising campaign to fund a private humanitarian organization - generally managed by it. The UK government equivalent of our Henry P. Davidson makes a major support speech on the behalf of the Red Cross. The next day the official fund drive is ended but hundreds of local communities and cities just keep right on raising way more money than the original goal. The next day, the Red Cross starts making announcements about what they are going to DO for America and how they plan on doing it. On the same day - they push back on a US State Department ruling that basically bans all Red Cross volunteers of German, Austro-hungarian, Turkish or bulgarian descent. “Hey - These are loyal second generation Americans - what are thinking?” they reply in very polite terms. All this is capped off at the end of the week with an article that explains that military titles, ranks, and US uniforms will be used by the Red Cross in the war theater. The role and relationship of the Red Cross and the US government, and the interplay between the two at this dynamic time in history is a story I personally find amazing and yet another great example of the echoes we see today from the War that changed the world! Great War Project Now we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Mike’s post this week looks at the war dissidents in Europe including a great insight into WW1 literary figure Siegfried Sassoon. Welcome Mike. [Mike Shuster] “ANTI-WAR RESISTANCE IN THE EAST AND THE WEST” LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/06/25/anti-war-resistance-in-the-east-and-the-west/ 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 - ww1 100 years ago this week from a more european perspective. [run clip from Indy] This week’s new episodes cover a variety of subjects including: -Hero or burden? - King Constantine of Greece -Greek rifles and pistols of WW1 -The Disillusionment of Lawrence of Arabia -Spain and the Spanish arms industry in WW1 The link is in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar War in the Sky: This week in our great war in the sky segment - we are going to tell you the story of Louis Bennet from West Virginia. The story comes from a letter received by his mother, Sallie Bennet - four years after Louis’ death in the skies over the western front -- a letter written by a German officer named Emil Merkelbach who fought against Louis at that fateful last battle that ended his life. Louis Bennett, was a Yale educated young man with big ambitions for his role in the war. He organized the West Virginia Flying Corps in early 1917 with the idea of training pilots to join the U.S. Army as part of a proposed West Virginia aerial unit. But the War Department rejected this idea and required that Louis go through the standard Army training program-- something he was not at all interested in. So he joined the British Royal Air Force, the best way he saw to get to the action as quick as possible. Louis only served for ten days before being shot down, but in those ten days he fearlessly downed three enemy planes and nine balloons. This earned him the distinction of being designated a flying ACE, becoming West Virginia’s only World War I ACE. Here is Merkelbach’s account of Louis Bennet’s final battle from the letter he sent to Louis’ mother Sallie - Although it’s a bit long, we are including the entire passage. “I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADMIRE THE KEENNESS AND BRAVERY OF YOUR SON; FOR THIS REASON I SHOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE FOLLOWING SHORT DESCRIPTION HIS FINAL BATTLE. . . . [music] I HAD BEEN UP IN MY BALLOON FOR SEVERAL HOURS OBSERVING, AND WAS AT A HEIGHT OF 1000 METERS. OVER THE ENEMY’S FRONT CIRCLED CONTINUOUSLY TWO HOSTILE AIRPLANES. . . . I IMMEDIATELY GAVE THE COMMAND TO MY MEN BELOW TO HAUL IN MY BALLOON AS I SAW [ANOTHER] GERMAN BALLOON . . . PLUNGE TO EARTH BURNING. AT THE SAME MOMENT I SAW THE HOSTILE FLYER - YOUR SON LOUIS - COME TOWARD MY BALLOON AT TERRIFIC SPEED, AND IMMEDIATELY THE DEFENSIVE FIRE OF MY HEAVY MACHINE RIFLES BELOW AND OF THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS BEGAN; BUT THE HOSTILE AVIATOR DID NOT CONCERN HIMSELF ABOUT THAT. . . . [HE] OPENED FIRE ON ME. . . . THE HOSTILE MACHINE WAS SHOT INTO FLAMES BY THE FIRE OF MY MACHINE GUNS. THE ENEMY AVIATOR - YOUR SON - TRIED TO SPRING FROM THE AEROPLANE BEFORE THE LATTER PLUNGED TO THE GROUND AND BURNED COMPLETELY. A BOLD AND BRAVE OFFICER HAD MET HIS DEATH. I HOPE THAT THE FOREGOING LINES, A MEMORIAL TO YOUR SON, WILL BE RECEIVED BY YOU LIVING— HE WAS MY BRAVEST ENEMY. HONOR TO HIS MEMORY. WITH RESPECT, EMIL MERKELBACH” Louis Bennett Jr.’s courage and skill clearly inspired those around him: From the enemy German army that buried him with full military honors, to his mother who went on to memorialize him across multiple countries, and finally to Emil Merkelbach, who was inspired to write a respectful letter four years after they had fought in the great War In The Sky 100 years ago. This story of Sallie Maxwell Bennett and her son Louis comes from Appalachian Magazine. The link is in the podcast notes. Link:http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/01/09/german-soldier-writes-mother-of-w-va-soldier-he-killed-during-wwi-a-letter/ The Storyteller and the Historian with Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten We are going to close out “WW1 - 100 years ago this week” with the Storyteller and the Historian - Richard Rubin and Jonathan Braten We and the Great War Channel on youtube covered this quite a bit over the past month - so here is a great overview wrap up of French General Robert Nivell’s disastrous June campaign by the Storyteller and the Historian! [run opening] [run segment] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking about Robert Nivelle. Be on the lookout for their monthly podcast which will feature a full one hour journey with these two great raconteurs. Links: richardrubinonline.com ww1cc.org/maine World War One NOW 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: Mobile WW1 Museum Keith Colley’s Mobile WW1 Museum has a number of upcoming events this summer, including visits to New Orleans, Dover Delaware and Dallas. The Mobile Museum is a travelling collection of authentic artifacts from World War 1. The museum started out as a special event for Seniors at retirement Villages, and Assisted Living facilities. But since then, the word has gotten out, and Colley’s Mobile WW1 Museum gets booked nationwide not only in Senior venues, but Colleges, Schools, Special Guests of Museums, National Parks, Air Shows and other commemorative events. You can read more about Keith Colley’s Mobile WW1 Museum by following the links in the podcast notes, and reach out to Keith, who runs the Museum, if you’d be interested in hosting it! Check out U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events all lower case - for things happening in your area.. And if YOU have an event you’d like to include in the register - Look for the big red button and submit your own upcoming events - It’s not only a great way to letting the WW1 commemoration community know about it, but it also registers your event as a part of the national archival record of the WW1 centennial commemoration - You can also follow the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.ww1mobilemuseum.com/tour-schedule.html http://www.ww1mobilemuseum.com/home.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/1353-five-questions-for-keith-colley-proprietor-of-the-mobile-wwi-museum.html https://www.facebook.com/WWImobilemuseum/ ww1cc.org/events Chautauqua Interview Did you ever hear of 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, 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." Today - most of us know nothing about this American tradition - except our next guest - who is bringing Chautauqua back to Nebraska - with a WW1 theme! Here to tell us about it is "Jerry" Meyer, Historian at the Nebraska National Guard Museum. Jerry, welcome to WW1 Centennial News. [Jerry: Chautauqua is sort of like the circus coming to town - without the critters and the siamese twins - can you tells us about the history of it?] [Jerry - tell us about how your bringing this idea back in Nebraska with a WW1 theme...] Thank you! That was Gerald D. Meyer, Historian at the Nebraska National Guard Museum reviving an old American community tradition - There are links in the podcast notes about the events in Nebraska. http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2500-wwi-focus-at-chautauqua-event-in-seward-ne.html link:http://humanitiesnebraska.org/program/chautauqua/ http://journalstar.com/lifestyles/nebraska-city-seward-to-host-wwi-chautauqua-in-june/article_cd2c5cbd-6020-535d-9a4f-e3ac5df61164.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2500-wwi-focus-at-chautauqua-event-in-seward-ne.html Updates From The States Ohio From our Centennial partners in Ohio -- Camp Sherman lies nestled on the banks of US-23 just north of the city of Chillicothe. It was one of the many army training camps built in 1917 as we prepared to go “over there” and it was in fact, the largest WWI training camp in the nation. Camp Sherman is now a National Guard training facility, and it will be part of a nine-day commemoration in honor of its centennial--- and of the contributions made by all those who served in the Great War. The commemoration will last from July 1st to the 9th and includes guided tours of the military complex -- where the original firing range once stood… There will be re-enactments, fireworks, live firing demonstrations, and a historical film screening. Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2662-chillicothe-ohio-to-celebrate-camp-sherman-days.html http://www.campshermandays.com/ International Report Celebration of Music all across France In our International Report this week, we cross the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II to France commemorate the arrival of US troops. There have been many commemoration events across France - this past week, including, yes, the Queen Mary II sailing from St. Nazaire to New York City. Sailing alongside the Queen are four sailing crews manning the best multi-hull yachts in the world. The Queen Mary II was built solely for luxury - yet, at last report she is currently in the lead, dominating the powerful trimarans built for speed. This historic race was organized by the Mission du Centenaire, the French commission for the WW1 centennial, with support from the French Foreign Ministry. As a celebration of Franco-American friendship over the century, all of these ships are headed straight for the foot of the Statue of Liberty in New York City -- a fitting testament of the two nations’ alliance. Meanwhile in Brest, France -- members of the French military, including the French Navy Band, participated in an international military ceremony. Robert Dalessandro, the Chair of the US World War One Centennial Commission, and acting secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission - the ABMC, was on hand, to represent those organizations for these special moments. Brest, as we’ve noted in previous episodes, is where the famous Harlem Hellfighters first arrived in Europe. They left an impression on the city, most notably a legacy of Jazz excellence because of 369th incredible regimental band. Fittingly, a large music festival has been organized across France to celebrate musicians who fought in the war -- or created works in response to the war. Events are being held in Brest, Saint Nazaire, Issoudun [EE-SU-DUN], Nice and Chemins Des Dames, each with their own local focus and many incorporating remembrance of the American presence there 100 years ago. We put several links in the podcast notes about these varied events. Link:http://centenaire.org/fr/musique/fete-de-la-musique-2017-premiere-guerre-mondiale http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2665-ceremonies-in-brest-france-mark-the-centennial-of-u-s-troops-arrival.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2668-the-race-of-a-century-the-queen-mary-ii-sails-with-the-fastest-yachts-in-the-world-in-memory-of-world-war-i.html Spotlight Harley Davidson is one of the MOST iconic American brands of all time. Like a number of other companies - WW1 was a powerful shaping force for the company as these iron horses. Anoop Prakash, a Marine Corps veteran and director of U.S. marketing for Harley Davidson says “General John ‘Black Jack’ Pershing was convinced that using new technology like motorcycles would provide great agility and ease of use and durability in wartime. So we have had a long history since that time in serving the military… It’s been a continuous link in our history.” Today there are veteran founded motorcycle clubs and rides all over the country. Read more about the WW1 connection to Harley Davidson by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://connectingvets.com/2017/06/21/harley-davidson-and-veterans/ Articles and Posts Remembering muted voices: WWI conscientious objectors 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 - This week in the news section you will find an article exploring the role of the conscientious objector during the conflict. Quakers, Mennonites, Hutterites, Bruderhof, Peace History Society scholars, and others have planned a symposium to covering the stories of the American Conscientious Objectors who resisted and dissented out of conscience in WWI. The conference will take place in October 2017 at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, MO. Read the whole story by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the links in the podcast notes link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2656-remembering-muted-voices-wwi-conscientious-objectors.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? discussions in FB https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/795394997302467/?type=3 An Overview of the AEF A facebook page we like provides an excellent in depth review of the AEF https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatWar191418/photos/pcb.1075123129286604/1075125302619720/?type=3 A Soldier’s Shell Shock PBS: American Experience shares a great video about Shell Shock in WW1 https://www.facebook.com/AmericanExperiencePBS/videos/10155421660539122/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE Thank you Katherine. Closing That’s all for 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 the anti-war resistance movements. Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten and their StoryTeller and the Historian wrapup segment on Robert Nivelle "Jerry" Meyer, Historian at the Nebraska National Guard Museum and his Chautauqua events. Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. And I am Theo Mayer - your host. On this 4th of July weekend we want to send a thank you to everyone who has ever served - IN ANY CAPACITY - to create, maintain, protect and sustain this dynamic and quite remarkable country of ours. And as you celebrate the birth of our nation - we ask you to take - just a moment - between the burger and the beer - between the big game and the picnic - just stop for a minute. Yea… I’m asking you to give it a WHOLE MINUTE - and just reflect on how much of your world around you today was forged 100 years ago - It’s not the forgotten war - It’s war that changed YOUR world!! And I want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. They have been the foundation for our organization, conversation, education and commemoration of this centennial. Thanks Colonel… Closing 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 again this week. 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]
Highlights: Bulletin: Hear headlines and stories from the “Official Bulletin” |@ 02:15 Guest: Mike Shuster on the mutinies in France |@ 06:15 America’s WW1 Memorial: what CFA approval means from Edwin Fountain |@ 10:35 Memorial Day: History, significance, observance and links to activities |@ 12:00 States: Indiana article on Opha May Johnson, Alabama on National League for Woman’s Service |@ 14:30 Education: National History Day |@ 16:15 Media Spotlight: Robert Laplander / Doughboy MIA in the news |@ 19:00 Guest: Richard Rubin on his new book: “Back Over There” |@ 20:45 Guests: John Brancy and Peter Dugan on their WW1 music album |@ 25:30 Much more... ----more---- WW1 Centennial News - Weekly Podcast World War One Centennial News: May 24, 2017 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 May 17th, 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 to May 18, 1917. Today is quite a day. It’s all Pomp and Circumstance as Wilson signs the Selective Service Act into law - ending the debate about an all volunteer army - Instead - it will be the combination volunteer and conscripted army.All men between the ages of 21 and 30 will have to register for the draft by June 5th. There is still a big question about who is going to head the huge new army… Wilson also answers that question today. It’s a big fat NO to Roosevelt’s plan to raise a division of volunteer troops - which, of course, HE would lead to Europe. This really ticks him off! Some think that he probably misses the glory days of the “Rough Riders” pounding it out in Cuba. It’s also a NO to General Leonard Wood the former US Army Chief of staff. Apparently, Wilson thinks he has too many ties to the opposition Republican Party.Instead, today’s second big announcement by president Woodrow Wilson is the appointment of General John J. Pershing to head the US Army’s Expeditionary Force. Pershing - is politically non-partisan. He is publicly popular - as the former commander of what is known as the “Punitive Expedition” sent out to spank Mexico’s Pancho Villa for sneaking up north and attacking the town of Columbus, in New Mexico.May 18th is a big day on the hill.What else is going on this week in 1917? For interesting details, let’s look at the Official Bulletin. Here are some of the stories running in America’s official war gazette. The Bulletin Saturday May 19, 2017: Storyline: “Regulars will be First Troops Sent to France”: President Announces in Statement Issued After Signing the Selective Conscription BillAlso Saturday May 19: Storyline: US ARMY UNIT ARRIVES IN BRITAINThe first unit of the United States Army is now on foreign soil.Yesterday marks the arrival In England of Ruse Hospital No. 4, of Cleveland, Ohio, under command of MaJ. Harry L. Gilchrist, of the Medical Corps of the United States Army, This Is the first of six army base hospitals which have been ordered abroad - for service In France.Monday May 21: Storyline, REGIMENT OF U. S. MARINES IN THE EXPEDITION TO FRANCESecretary of the Navy Daniels announces that a regiment of US Marines (2,600 men) will accompany the first expedition to France. The regiment will be commanded by Col. Charles A. Doyen :Quote "In being among the first on the firing line In France, the marines will be upholding their historic record," said Secretary Daniels. Monday May 21: Storyline: INSIGNIA ADOPTED FOR ALL GOVERNMENT AERIAL CRAFT The United States Government has adopted as the insignia for all its aircraft a white star with red center on a circular background of blue. All American aeroplanes, seaplanes, captive balloons, and dirigibles will bear this star of the Flying Corps, which combines the red, white, and blue of the national flag. Wed. May 23: Storyline: COTTON ONE OF ESSENTIALS FOR MODERN WAR,Secretary of the Navy Daniels, introduces the Hon. Arthur James Balfour to the Cotton Manufacturers' Association in a session in Washington DC, Daniels declares:Cotton is still king.And in closing from the May 23 issue: Here is an article that talks about the Official Bulletin itself.The headline states:FUNCTIONS OF THEOFFICIAL BULLETINThe article goes on the read:Many misunderstandings have arisen with regard to the Official Bulletin,which is being issued by the Committee on Public Information under order of the President. This publication is not a newspaper in the accepted sense of the word.Its single purpose is to assure the full and legal printing of the official announcements of Government heads in connection with governmental business. Exclusive publication Is neither the thought nor ambition. It will not interfere with the legitimate functions of the press in any manner, nor will official news be delayed or withheld In order to give the Bulletin any special news significance.The article goes on the explain what types of information the Official Bulletin Publishes.These include:Proclamations and Executive orders of the President ; rules and regulations of the executive departments;administrative orders; official bulletins and official statements of policy; AND statutes enacted relating to war matters of whichthe public should be officially informed.It’s interesting to note that the cost of this publication is really expensive. An annual subscription is $5 - that is equivalent to over $100 Today.They do have a comp list though- this includes:The President, the cabinet, members of the Senate and House, the Diplomatic and consular corp, foreign diplomats and consuls, Officer of the military services, every post office got a free copy to post, governors, mayors of all cities, all newspapers, magazines, colleges and universities, and major trade organizations. Industry and the rest of the nation has to pony up.The articles concludes with an unusual paragraph: Quote:Should there someday be a WW1 Centennial News podcast - each issue of the Official bulletin shall be republished on the centennial anniversary date of its original publication date and provided free on something to be called the internet at an address designated as: ww1cc.org/bulletin - all lower caseThough the source of last paragraph cannot be officially confirmed.Check it out at ww1cc.org/bulletinLink: ww1cc.org/bulletin Great War Project Joining us now is former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. Mike - in the first few paragraph of your post, Historian Martin Gilbert also notes the arrival of the first base hospital unit sent to Europe - in secret by the war department as the first US military to arrive - BUT as your post makes really clear - Apparently their arrival is in the midst of a pretty dire situation for the French army - Tell us the story Mike: [Mike Shuster] LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/05/21/in-france-its-mutiny-thousands-refuse-to-fight/Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The Great War Channel If you’d like to watch interesting and informative videos about WW1- 100 years ago this week - check out the new posts from our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week their new episodes include: The Ally From The Far East - Japan in World War 1Indie Nydell walks you through Japan’s role in WW1 - including a great perspective of “who was Japan” in 1917. Also new this week - The Hero Of Tannenberg - Paul von HindenburgThis video profiles a german war commander and hero of the time - Paul Von Hindenberg. Follow the link in the podcast notes to the Great War Channel on Youtube.Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Memorial At the WW1 Centennial Commission, the team is still buzzing about last week’s nod from the CFA - on concept approval of America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.Edwin Fountain, the vice chair of our Commission and the project leader for the Memorial explains more specifically what happened and what it means.Edwin notes:Thursday’s decision by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (the CFA) was a significant milestone for the WWI memorial project. Federal memorials in Washington, DC are subject to design approval by the CFA. They gave us “concept approval”, which means the CFA has endorsed our proposal to establish a memorial at Pershing Park - near the White House - in the form of a large bronze bas-relief sculpture that evokes the story of WW1. This sculpture will be the centerpiece of a trio of memorial elements, including the existing statue of General Pershing - The America’s General of the Armies, as well as a ceremonial flag stand that will offer additional opportunities for commemoration of the war.To learn more - see the latest designs - and to help BUILD America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC - go to ww1cc.org/memorial. Honor our WW1 veterans with a donation for this project on memorial day. They can’t - but we CAN thank you for your support. Memorial Day So what IS memorial day - besides a day off work in early summer and a lot of car sales. What does it means? Where did it came from?Memorial day was originally called Decoration Day and traces back to the civil war as a time to decorate the Union soldiers’ graves with flowers. By the 20th century, there were competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days. These eventually got merged into Memorial Day to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.It also marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create convenient three-day holiday weekends.On Memorial day, many people visit cemeteries and memorials to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.This year - activities include the annual Washington DC parade - but have gathered a bunch of links and information for you about Memorial day activities all over the country. You’ll find them in the podcast notes and on our WW1 Centennial News web page at ww1cc.org/cnLink: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_DayLIVESTREAM:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvER0kTNPoohttps://www.dogonews.com/2017/5/22/honoring-our-fallen-heroes-on-memorial-dayhttp://www.southcoasttoday.com/special/20170504/memorial-day-2017-will-honor-veterans-of-world-war-ihttp://www.journal-news.com/news/local/air-force-veteran-serve-hamilton-memorial-day-parade-marshal/pIXbTShU18S4rDbol3HoLO/http://www.telegram.com/news/20170522/memorial-day-events-in-central-masshttp://www.lohud.com/story/news/2017/05/19/memorial-day-events/323099001/http://www.yakimaherald.com/lifestyle/travel/yakima-valley-preparing-for-memorial-day-events/article_d0e7b97e-3f32-11e7-b080-83458fe686e7.htmlhttp://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/history-book-deeper-sense-of-patriotism-in-world-war-i-for-memorial-dayhttp://villagenews.com/local/memorial-day-runs-will-honor-fallen-heroes-wars/ Activities and Events US Army Birthday BallIn other activities and events - This week we picked one for you that is one coming up next month in Orlando, FL.In 2017 - the US Army turns 242! Quick - it’s 2017 - the army turns 242 - so what year was the US army established? [tick tock sound and buzzer] 1775!To celebrate, the Sunshine Chapter of the Association of the US Army in Orlando, FL is hosting a Ball on June 17th. The ball will feature a World War I Centennial theme “Over There: A Celebration of the WWI Soldier” Dr. Monique Seefried, one of the World War One Centennial Commissioners, will be the featured guest speaker. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Kennedy will present a short talk on the augmentation of WWI Army leadership - for an Army that grew 20-fold. For more information, see the link in the podcast noteslink:http://www.ausa-sunshine.org/home-posts/army-birthday-ball-2017/ Updates From The States Indiana: First Woman in Marine CorpsOn the Indiana State Commission website at ww1cc.org/indiana, there is an article about Opha May, the first woman in the Marine Corps. By the summer of 1918 the Marine Corps was in need of more soldiers, many of whom occupied vital administrative and clerical positions. The idea was circulated and eventually approved to allow women into the Marine Corps to fill these non-combat positions. From Kokomo, Indiana, Opha May Johnson was first in line - when the recruiting station in Washington D.C. opened its doors to women. AND -- she would become a legend as the first woman Marine. Opha demonstrated the willingness of women to step up and fill these roles just as earnestly and to perform them just as capably as their male counterparts. Read more about her life - and service at ww1cc.org/indiana or by following the link in the podcast notes.link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/2432http://ww1cc.org/indianaAlabamaNow another story about the service of women in the war, this time from the Alabama’s State Commission site at ww1cc.org/alabama. The Motor Corps was one of eight divisions of the National League for Woman’s Service established on January 27, 1917 - Their charter? “To organize and train the great woman power of the country for specific and economic service; to be prepared to meet existing needs; to be ready for emergency service; and to supplement the work of Governmental Departments and Committees—Federal, State, and City”And so at least 78 Motor Corps units were established across the country. The one in Montgomery was activated in April 1918 You can read more about the women that made up the corps and the supporting role they played throughout the war by visiting ww1cc.org/alabama - all lower case. . Link:www.ww1cc.org/alabamahttp://www.worldwar1centennial.org/2178 Education Update National History Day In our education sectionToday we are going to talk about National History Day, that offers year-long academic programs for middle- and high-school students around the world. Each year, the National History Day - Contest - encourages more than half a million students to conduct historical research on a topic of their choice. They enter their projects at the local and affiliate levels, with top students advancing to the National Contest; WW1 Centennial Commissioner, Dr. Libby O’Connell, will be giving a special award for best WW1 history project at the finals.The students are provided guiding articles and support materials - so the National WW1 Museum’s Curator of Education, Laura Vogt, provided a wonderful reference guide about African American soldiers in WW1 and how that experience shaped the stand for equal rights after the war. Laura did a great job providing a sample essay for participating students and teachers but frankly - I took a look at it and it’s a great read for all of us. We going to expand the discussion next week, when we will be joined by Dr. Cathy Gorn, the executive director of National History Day and an adjunct professor of history at the University of Maryland at College Park.link:https://www.nhd.org/http://nhd.org/sites/default/files/2017_Themebook_0.pdf - Page 46 onwards International Report Jazz in BrestAnd following Laura Vogts theme, This week in our International Report we turn our eyes, and ears, to France. Last week we talked about the 369th experience and how they brought Jazz to Europe. In a follow up, we have a story from the french town of Brest - a harbor town in Brittany on the western coast… famous for fine chow in a country of great cuisine!Here - a group of middle schoolers wrote a radio drama about the “sammies” who brought Jazz to their town in 1917. Students researched the life of these American soldiers, including Lt. James Reese Europe, then the director of the Harlem Hellfighters’ 369th regimental band. By studying archives and other source, the students collaborated with a local musicians to create a jazz musical outlining these soldier’s lives in France as well as the struggles they faced - on returning to America. Follow the links in the podcast notes - to watch video clips of the live performances . The website is all in french but the music is all jazz! Enjoy.http://centenaire.org/fr/espace-pedagogique/college-harteloire-brest/la-fabrication-dune-fiction-radiophoniquehttp://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/brest-29200/brest-centenaire-des-troisiemes-de-l-harteloire-sur-scene-au-vauban-5003199http://www.harteloire.com/les-actualites/actualites-pedagogiques/1917-larrivee-du-jazz-en-france-enregistrement-dune-fictionDNA allows a soldier to be reburied under his own nameNow from the UK - A story about how one of the thousands of anonymous dead in France was given back his name. The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre of the UK’s Ministry of Defence helped identify the bones of Private Henry Parker, whose remains were found in France in 2015. By using DNA, they were able to find a match to his great-nephew, who, along with 25 of his other family members, attended - the reinterment of Private Parker at a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery where he was buried with full honors - and - importantly, with his name. Learn more by following the link in the podcast notes.link:http://bbc.co.uk.via.snip.ly/gsoqu#http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39946381 Spotlight on the Media Here is the US, unfortunately our Department of Defense has ceases looking for our MIAs from World War 1. So in our “Spotlight on the Media” section this week, we would like to profile a very special fellow today - Rob Laplander. Rob - as a private citizen - is a tireless advocate for America’s WW1 MIAs - and there are over 4,400 of them - We proudly host Mr. Laplander’s Doughboy MIA project website at ww1cc.org/mia - all lower case. Here you’ll find their story and a searchable database that you can explore to find WW1 MIAs from you state, town or family.Last week, the Wall Street Journal broke a story about Rob. The headline reads: Missing WWI Servicemen Getting Full Recognition With ‘Doughboy MIA’ ProjectThe article is about the project’s recent success in the case of Seaman Herbert Renshaw fell overboard, off the coast of South Carolina during a naval patrol 100 years ago this week on May 22, 1917. But probably due to a clerical error by Navy officials, he was never listed on a monument to the missing at Brookwood American Cemetery in England. Now he will be.Thank you Rob Laplander and the Doughboy MIA project for your great service for our WW1 veterans. As your motto says: A man is only missing if he is forgotten.You can go to the web site at ww1cc.org/mia. You can support Rob Laplander and his great work by doing yourself a favor and buying his book - Finding the Lost Battalion. A link to the book site is also in the podcast notes.link:https://www.wsj.com/articles/doughboy-mia-makes-sure-missing-world-war-i-heroes-get-recognition-1495443601http://www.history.com/news/volunteer-sleuths-ensure-world-war-i-mia-receives-just-due-100-years-after-deathhttp://www.findingthelostbattalion.com/p/links-and-resources.htmlhttp://ww1cc.org/mia Richard RubinAnd speaking of books and authors - We have a special guest with us today. Richard Rubin is a premiere author and storyteller about WW1. Someone said to me once - “you know, if you are only going to read a single book about WW1 - then you should read “The Last of the Doughboy” which was Richard Rubin’s first book. Now Richard has just released a second book on WW1 called “Back Over There” which just came out.Welcome Richard!Richard - tell us about the new book?Richard - you and I have been talking about a weekly feature here on WW1 Centennial News called The Storyteller and the Historian - You are the storyteller and Jonathan Bratten - a military historian from Maine is your cohort on the project. We are hoping to launch the feature in the coming month… What can you tell us about it?link:http://www.richardrubinonline.com/John Brancy and Peter DuganIt’s time to talk about MUSIC and WW1![music clip]With us today are Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan - they debuted their recital - A Silent Night - at the Kennedy Center in 2014 which was hailed by The Washington Post as " refreshingly, marvelously different," The program pays homage to the centennial of World War I through the music of composers who lived through, fought in, and died in the Great War. The songs have now come out as an album -Welcome gentlemen.[interview]Thank you - Tell us about the project and what inspired you to create the program!That was Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan and their WW1 music album - a Silent night - thanks for talking with us today. you both for being here. We put a link in the podcast notes for where to find their web site and how to find the album.[MUSIC]link:http://www.johnbrancy.com/abouthttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-silent-night-a-wwi-centenary-tribute-in-song-war#/ 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?Newly digitized Red Cross PhotosA newly digitized collection of images from the Red Cross offers a glimpse into the rehabilitation of amputees and wounded veterans after WW1.Link:https://blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2017/05/american-national-red-cross-collection-newly-digitized-photos/?loclr=fbloc-ww1Weather and WW1A Quaker Mathematician developed the field of mathematical weather modeling during his service in an ambulance service during WW1, fundamentally changing how we predict weather.link:http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-world-war-i-changed-weather-good-180963360Is your dog an ally of the Kaiser?Food was expected to be scarce in 1917 and 1918, but it seems that finger pointing may have started at the expense of sweet puppy dogs everywhere.link:http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89058013/1917-05-18/ed-1/seq-4.pdf Closing 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 blogRichard Rubin, Writer and AuthorJohn Brancy and Peter Dugan, Independent Musicians Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show.And I am Theo Mayer - your host this week.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, so please give what you can by going to ww1cc.org/donate - all lower caseOr if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 to 41444We 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 talk to someone about the centennial of WW1 this week. So long.[music] 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: New Feature: Now publishing the 1917 Official Bulletin daily at ww1cc.org/bulletin | @ 00:45 History: “You want to send American troops to FRANCE!?!” | @ 05:00 Big News: National WW1 Memorial gets nod and OK from CFA | @ 11:30 Helping out: Peer-to-peer fundraising video for Memorial day | @ 12:30 Sports: Randy Mobley - President of the International League | @ 15:00 Education: St. Mary’s University, Texas students making WW1 Mini Docs | @ 22:15 Theater: New WW1 play in Los Angeles | @ 24:15 Television: Nat Geo TV WW1 Special to air Memorial Day weekend | @ 25:00 Music: 369th experience | @ 25:45 Much more... ----more---- WW1 Centennial News - Weekly Podcast World War One Centennial News: May 10, 2017 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 May 17th, 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 the united states government launches the “The Official Bulletin” the country’s war information newspaper. It is published daily under order of the - President of the United States - published - by the Committee on Public Information, George Creel - ChairmanWe have introduced you to George Creel previously. Creel is a journalist, friend and staunch supporter of Woodrow Wilson - especially during the election of 1916. So it’s not surprising that President Wilson appoints Creel to head the newly minted Committee on Public Information - the CPI - as a part of the new war effort. The CPI’s mission is to swing public sentiment and backing in favor of the U.S. war effort. Effectively George Creel is the head of America's propaganda and war information bureau.This includes all aspects of the U.S. media, including print, film, posters, music, paintings, cartoons… everything.One of the key products of the CPI is the Official Bulletin, largely forgotten and gone unnoticed - in the century since.Starting this week, We are re-publishing each issue of this daily historically newspaper on the centennial date of its release. This archive is a wonderful cultural resource that illuminates this dynamic period in our country’s history.Fortunately, the entire archive has been digitized by Google Books and we are very excited to bring it to you as a daily serial on our web site - at ww1cc.org/bulletin - all lower case.The editorial team at WW1 Centennial News is going over the 120 or so weekly articles, bringing you some of the interesting headlines and digging into a story or two.This week, some of the headlines read:“Urgent need of ships for coastal defense is outlined”This article includes the interesting note: A number of the finest yachts in the country have been tendered to the Government by the owners for use during the war, either free or on a nominal lease basis”In the article - the Assistant Secretary of the Navy writes - “We need coastal defenses. The present war is showing that the submarine is a weapon that has an important bearing on the final result.”That astute assistant secretary of the navy in 1917 will become the 32nd President of the United States in 1933 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Another headline reads - MISSION TO RUSSIA.The Department of State authorizes the members of the special diplomatic mission of the United States of America to Russia - our close allies during this war.REGISTRATION DISTINCT FROM THE DRAFT,STATEMENT BY WAR DEPARTMENT EXPLAINSThis article that explains that all young men between 21 and 30 must REGISTER for the draft - but that being drafted is a separate and different issue.This is the first selective service moment in our nation’s history and there is a lot of interest and confusion about how it works.In fact - in the May 12, 1917 issue of the Official Bulletin - there is a great article looking at the number of men in the US who will be subject to QUOTE “selective conscription”.They estimate that around 10 million men between ages 21 and 30 need to register. That is around 10% of the US’ estimated population of 103-104 million people in 1917.Based on state populations, they are looking at around 1 million young men from New York, 875,000 from Pennsylvania, half a million from Illinois, Texas and Ohio, Remember a few weeks ago we talked about the fact that the US had virtually no national military - that in fact the state militias totally outnumbered the federal army. The building of that army is a story we will be following over the coming weeks.Link: ww1cc.org/bulletin Great War Project Joining us now is former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. This week Mike also focuses on the domestic struggle to get a handle on what it means - now that we have declared war. Mike - It sure doesn’t sound like the nation is of one mind on this!?[Mike Shuster]LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/05/14/a-volunteer-army-or-the-draft/That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. War in the Sky Let’s take a look at the Great War in the sky one hundred years ago this week. Our story is about the first allied flying boat that managed to down a german Zeppelin.What IS a flying boat. Well It’s different from a pontoon sea-plane that has floats replacing or in addition to landing gear. Instead - flying boats are like ship hulls with wings - they do have pontoons out on the wings for stability when they land and take off - but they are a very desirable concept because they can be big and use a really long distance to take off and land - this works because they don’t need a runway to operate them just a reasonably calm body of water.The Curtiss H series is America’s leading flying boat design in WW1 - In fact, you might remember a few weeks ago when Michael Lombardi boeing’s senior historian, told us about an early Boeing contract to build some Curtiss H series flying boats under licence.Well one hundred years ago this week, a canadian flyer Robert Leike is tooling on patrol around in the north sea near amsterdam with his flight commander John Galpin. It’s nasty and rainy weather and the clouds are low. Around 4:45 am, the weather breaks and they spot a big german Zeppelin - The L-22 about 10-15 miles away.So they give chase to sneak up on her - the flight commander, Lt. Galpin gives Leike the controls and goes to man the twin Lewis Guns. They get to within half a mile before the zep spots them - but by then it’s too late. Leike dives down on her like a hawk as Galpin unloads an entire drum of incendiary bullets into the zeppelin - which catches on fire and crashes into the sea. The tiny wasp has stung the giant beast and prevailed. It’s a win for the allies and the loss of a precious zeppelin for the Germans. Leike is given the distinguished service cross and Galpin the distinguished service order for their action one hundred year ago this week in the great war in the sky.LINK:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Leckie_(RCAF_officer)#World_War_Ihttps://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/air-vice-marshal-robert-leckie/ The Great War Channel Let’s move on to our friends from the Great War Channel on Youtube. They have produced a library of over 400 videos - about WW1 - over the past few years. The videos provide detailed insights - as well as summaries and overviews - If you want to explore WW1 on video we recommend the Great War channel on Youtube - This week the new episodes include: One hundred years ago this week - The Macedonian Standoff - The Five Nation Army Is Repelled And another episode which is a special - shot on location in France with the dutch development team from the Battle of Verdun video game. They explore the validity (or not) of teaching about WW1 with video game technology. This is a really interesting discussion. Follow the link in the podcast notes.Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration.We will begin with some breaking news from the World War One Centennial Commission.As you know, surprisingly, there is no National WW1 memorial in our nation’s capital.We are very happy to report that on May 18, our concept and design for the National WWI Memorial at Pershing Park, in Washington DC received concept approval from Washington’s Commission of Fine Arts, the CFA - a body that needs to approve everything being built in the Nation’s Capital.You can check out the latest design and learn more about the project at link: ww1cc.org/memorialWe offer our congratulations to WW1 Centennial Commission Vice Chair Edwin Fountain, the designers of the concept Joe Weishaar and Sabin Howard and the WW1 memorial project team that have worked tirelessly to adapt the project vision to the input and requests of the CFA.Just in time for memorial day, we are now clear to proceed with our missions to honor the WW1 Doughboys with their own national memorial in Washington DC. So now - We are asking you - our audience to help us spread the word with a little peer-to-peer fundraising for this project. It is really easy for you to help - Some great people have recorded - special memorial day, 20 second donation appeals video for us - You can post on your web sites and social media pages asking to support this important centennial project.We have 20 second videos specifically for memorial day from former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Former US senator and ambassador Carol Moseley BraunThe step-grand-daughter of General of the Armies Black Jack Pershing - Ms. Sandra Sinclair PershingRetired Army General, news commentator and business consultant General Barry McCaffreyAnd Tech guru, internet pioneer and google senior fellow Vinton CerfAll YOU need to do it to post these videos on your facebook page, your website, or your other social media channels and tell your friends about our project. You can find the videos and lots of other great resources including an amazing public domain WW1 image library at ww1cc.org/promotion. Please do it today - Memorial day is coming up on May 29. Help us build a national ww1 memorial in Washington DCThank you!link:http://ww1cc.org/promotion Activities and Events ABMC LivestreamOn to activities and event - Starting with a livestream from the ABMC. The American Battle Monuments Commission.On Tuesday, May 16th, two American Battle Monuments historians talked about photos from their collection in the ABMCs first Facebook Live chat. They discussed Memorial Day in 1919 and the role of photography in remembrance and commemoration of the First World War. You can watch the video of the event on their facebook page. We put the link in the podcast notes - Congratulations to the AMBC on your first facebook livestream - we are looking forward to many more.link:https://www.facebook.com/abmcpage/videos/1525585880793451/Wilton CT: ArchivingIn Wilton Connecticut, the Wilton library will be holding a World War I Memorabilia Digitization Day on Saturday, May 20. Community Members can stop by to have their stories recorded and keepsakes scanned, photographed, and digitized. The results will be added to the State Library’s “Remembering World War One” digital project. They will be focusing on wart front related, home front related, or other war efforts. The library has teamed with the Connecticut State Library, American Legion Post 86 and the Wilton Historical Society to produce the event.link:http://www.wiltonbulletin.com/100054/residents-asked-to-contribute-to-online-wwi-archive/International Baseball LeagueAnd as we have been leading up to for the past few weeks - it’s time for peanuts, crackerjack, baseball and WW1 veterans remembrance days.With us today is the president of the East coast’s International League, Mr. Randy Mobley. Randy, you’ve been such an great supporting partner in this program for the WW1 commemoration - Thank you and welcome to the show![Randy Mobley]Your league is supporting a dozen games with WW1 remembrances between now and memorial day - how did that happen?[Randy Mobley]What are some of the events that are happening? [Randy Mobley]Tell us about the International League - How did it get it’s name[Randy Mobley]link:http://ww1cc.org/baseballhttp://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=l117Thank you Randy Mobley - President of International League [closing] Updates from the States Kentucky and slugger stadiumThis coming Sunday on May 21st, in Louisville Kentucky at Slugger Field, the Kentucky state and the national WW1 Centennial Commissions are teaming up with the Louisville Bats for a WW1 commemoration day at the park.Heather French-Henry was on KHAS Channel 11 - the local ABC affiliate - earlier this week where they spoke about the upcoming event at Slugger Field.[clip from show]Michigan: 16th Engineers (railroad) an all-volunteer regimentOn the Michigan State Commission website at ww1cc.org/michigan, there is an article this week about a unique regiment: the 16th Engineers (railroad). The regiment was organized, mobilized and trained entirely in Detroit, In WW1 Michigan, uniquely, was made up entirely of volunteers. So while the federal government was focusing on conscription and the draft - Many, many people willingly and enthusiastically volunteered, whether they were men in Detroit or mothers and wives across the county. Read more about the 16th and their accomplishments abroad, including the construction of the largest AEF construction project of the war, by visiting the Michigan State Centennial Commission website at ww1cc.org/michigan - all lower case.link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/michigan-in-ww1-articles/1524-16th-engineers-regiment-railway.htmlhttp://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/michigan-in-ww1-home-page.htmlNorth Carolina Department of Transportation In North Carolina, Red poppies are blooming along the highways in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of our nation’s entry into World War I.To help honor those who served, North Carolina’s Department of Transportation Roadside Environmental unit planted an additional 70 acres of red poppies, an internationally recognized remembrance of sacrifice - for our military veterans. The poppies are part of the U.S. World War I Commission’s nationwide efforts to raise awareness and give meaning to the events that took place 100 years ago.The department spoke with their native son and national WW1 Centennial Commissioner - Jerry Hester.[Jerry Hester interview]link:https://apps.ncdot.gov/newsreleases/details.aspx?r=13830 Education St. Mary’s University and Commissioner General Alfredo ValenzuelaIn our education update section we have a story from Texas:Professor Teresa Van Hoy’s class - at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, has been given an incredible opportunity to connect with the legacy of WW1. With the support of WW1 Centennial Commissioner General Alfredo Valenzuela, Van Hoy guides her students to research, write and produce a series of mini-documentaries about the war. Students get to choose a topic that interests them, allowing for their voice and perspective to enter the work. The last batch of documentaries will be ceremoniously published online on the centennial of armistice day, November 11, 2018 at 11:11am. BUT you don’t have to wait till then to check out these great mini docs You can watch them now on youtube.Just follow the link in the podcast notes. I watched a 4 minute student peace that was published yesterday called Shell Shock with actual footage of WW1 soldiers in the post traumatic states. It’s pretty powerful! Thank you professor Van Hoy for putting this program together.link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2269-four-questions-for-teresa-van-hoy.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzMXnsatQMMtOUdzDOQ4eEg International Report India: Embroidery and rehabilitating wounded soldiersFrom India - A story about post war recovery and the healing power of embroidery. In this story about WW1 soldiers who, reluctantly at first, embraced embroidery as a therapy.Also known as “fancy work” - embroidery was widely used as a form of therapy for British and ANZAC soldiers wounded in the War – challenging the gendered construct of it - as “women’s work” . Themes of the soldiers’ embroidery ranged from military heraldry to scenes from the French countryside to pieces for their sweethearts. You can read more about some individuals who benefitted from embroidery, and see some of their embroidered pieces by following the link in the podcast notes.link:https://thewire.in/133810/first-world-war-embroidery/ Spotlight in the Media Rajiv Joseph’s play ArchdukeIn Los Angeles, Playwright Rajiv Joseph has staged and opened a new play about WW1 called “Archduke”. Commissioned by the Center Theater Group on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Joseph’s slyly relevant new period dramedy ends where most accounts of World War I begin: with the death of the Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Ferdinand. The play runs from April 25th to June 4th. You can purchase tickets as well as read a review of the play by following the link in the podcast notes.link:https://variety.com/2017/legit/reviews/archduke-review-rajiv-joseph-1202421536/https://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/mark-taper-forum/2017-18/archduke/National Geographic Television will air their special “America’s Great War 1917-1918” on Sunday May 28th at 9pm and Monday May 29th at 10:50pm. Their press release states: “Through unreleased archives and contemporary footage shot in the archeological digs of World War I's battlefields, the show will tell the heroic and tragic tale of the American soldiers in who participated in the conflict.”Thank you Nat Geo TV for producing the wonderful work! We look forward to in time for memorial day!link:http://www.natgeotv.com/za/shows/natgeo/america-s-great-war-1917-1918 Articles and Posts The 369th ExperienceOne of the sites you’ll find is for the 369th Experience. Go to ww1cc.org/369 - this is a project endorsed by the World War I Centennial Commission and sponsored in part by The Coca Cola Foundation. The project re-creates the Harlem Hellfighter’s 369th Regimental Band. The band originally consisted of 65 African American and Puerto Rican doughboys who charmed the hearts and minds of Americans and Europeans alike. It is said that they brought Jazz to Europe.Beginning last November, the program solicited freshmen and sophomore music students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other colleges and universities across America to enter a competition to be selected to join a re-creation of the 369th band.The band members have now been selected.And this past week it was announced that Dr. Isrea Butler, will lead the band as they retrace the steps of the original 369th, with performances at centennial celebrations in New York City; Brest and Paris in France; and a host of other historic locales. Dr. Buttler is currently the Director of Bands at The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. To learn more about the program you can go to ww1cc.org/369 or follow the link in the podcast notes.link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2370-dr-isrea-butler-to-lead-369th-experience-band-s-historic-re-creation.htmlWwrite BlogThis week in our WWrite blog - which explores WWI’s Influence on Contemporary Writing and Scholarship, the post is titled “Censored WWI Works Part 2: Mary Borden's Forbidden Zone and Backwash of War by Ellen LaMotte”In the post, WWrite Blog curator Jennifer Orth-Veillon discusses two censored yet extraordinary works by Army nurses: Ellen Lamotte's “The Backwash of War” and Mary Borden's “The Forbidden Zone”. Both Mary Borden and Ellen Lamotte were field hospital nurses who witnessed some of WWI's worst casualties and went on to write about the experience. The post - discusses how many artistic works were censored after WWI because they seemingly portrayed the conflict, or the countries involved, in a negative light. Today, many of these previously censored works are considered among the best artistic representations of the war - in part - because of to the realistic way they painted a horrible, gory, corrupt, and anti-triumphant picture of combat and trench warfare. Read more about these women and their literary contributions at the ww1cc.org/w-w-r-i-t-e. All lowe case.link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/2337-censored-wwi-books-2-mary-borden-s-forbidden-zone-and-backwash-of-war-by-ellen-lamotte.html100 Cities / 100 MemorialsFor the 100 cities / 100 memorials project - the $200,000 matching grant challenge to restore ailing WW1 memorials around the country - there is a new blog post this week profiling some of the recent grant applications to the program - One from Santa Monica California - and another from Tennessee’s Madison Country…MOST important - a reminder for anyone involved in a WW1 memorial restoration project - large or small - it is just ONE MONTH until the submission deadline on June 15, 2017.You can follow the program and sign up for the blog at ww1cc.org/100 memorials ! 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?Mother’s Day Dispatch from the FrontAn illustrated dispatch from the War Work Council on Mother's Day, 1918 Link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.774612519380715.1073741840.185589304949709/774612526047381/?type=3PershingA summary biography of Gen. Pershing, tapped 100 years ago this week to lead the AEF. link:https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatWar191418/photos/pcb.1045309348934649/1045306408934943/?type=3&theater Closing 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 blogRandy Mobley, president of the International LeagueKatherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show.And I am Theo Mayer - your host this week.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 as you heard earlier, we received approval on our design for a National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.We are not federally funded. We depend entirely on donations for doing this work… You can help by donating any amount at ww1cc.org/donate, you can help us with peer-to-peer fundraising by posting the donation appeal videos from ww1cc.org/promotion and if you are listening to this podcast on your smart phone - you can just text ww1 to 41444 to make a donation large or small.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 talk to someone about the centennial of WW1 this week. So long.[music] 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