Monday, November 11th was the 106th anniversary of World War One. For those interested in learning more about the war, I recommend listening to the World War One Podcast by MacArthur Memorial. In this podcast, they explore the history of the war from a variety of perspectives. I listened to episodes about trench warfare, the story of the Lost Battalion, and the true story of Sergeant York. The World War One Podcast is an incredibly interesting podcast that will give listeners a better understanding of World War One.
In the episode The Trenches: Reality vs Movies, the host Amanda Williams interviews (historian and film consultant) about the reality of life in the trenches. Robertshaw describes how they were multilayered and were built differently by armies. He also talks about how British forces rotated out of the trenches after five days and contrary to popular belief they were not in continuous combat. Robertshaw also analyzes the historical accuracy of World War One movies, which is interesting to hear.
The Lost Battalion Part 1 and Part 2 are episodes about an American regiment that was surrounded by German forces during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and nicknamed The Lost Battalion by the American press. Williams interviewed author Robert J. Laplander about The Lost Battalion. Laplander describes that despite their nickname American forces knew where they were positioned-the problem was that they were surrounded. He chronicles the six days of their encirclement and how they survived despite being tremendously outnumbered and under-equipped. He talks about the leadership of the commanding officer Major Charles W. Whittlesey under fire and the severe PTSD that he struggled with following the war. I recommend listening to these episodes to get the full story of what The Lost Battalion experienced.
In Sergeant York and the Other Sixteen, the host James P. Gregory Jr (Unraveling the Myth of Sgt. York: The Other Sixteen) examines the true story of Sergeant Alvin York. Gregory critiques the movie Sergeant York and talks about the role that soldiers that were with York played in capturing German soldiers and seizing enemy positions. Those that are familiar with the story of Sergeant York will enjoy listening to this episode to find more information about those who were in-action with him.
The World War One Podcast is an educational and fascinating podcast. World War One experts are frequently interviewed and they disprove certain myths about the war. I highly recommend this podcast to history buffs!
World War One Reading List
The First World War by John Keegan
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
Michael Walsh is an Adult Services Librarian at the Will Librarian. He is currently reading Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King.