World War I Podcast

In previous episodes, the World War I Podcast has explored how different states experienced and contributed to World War I. At the time the United States entered the war, there were 48 states, each offering support shaped by its population, resources, and level of industrialization. Together, they form an important layer of the American experience during the war - both at home and overseas.
In this latest episode, Dr. Richard Wasserman, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and author of The War to End All Wars: New Jersey’s Role in World War I, joined the World War I Podcast to di...

In 1915, as World War I reshaped global politics and strained international ties, two world’s fairs opened in the United States with the bold promise of celebrating cooperation, innovation, and peace. Yet behind the grand pavilions and idealized “avenues of nations,” the war was already altering who could participate, how the fairs presented themselves, and what they ultimately came to represent. The fairs of 1915 - one in San Francisco, the other in San Diego - became unexpected reflections of a world in crisis, revealing the tensions between global aspiration and wartime reality. To learn more, the World War I podcas...

Many leaders during World War II were shaped by their service in World War I. Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King was no exception. During World War II, King held the unprecedented dual role of Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, and Chief of Naval Operations. As the U.S. Navy’s senior operational leader, King directed U.S. Navy planning, operations, and administration during that war. But what do we know about his World War I service? And how did those early experiences influence his leadership and strategic vision decades later? To help explore these questions, the World War I...

On Monday, July 13, 2026, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a virtual event featuring Adin Dobkin, author of Sprinting Through No Man’s Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France. 

Just months after the end of World War I, cyclists raced across a devastated France - navigating ruined roads, shattered infrastructure, and the deep scars of war. This grueling Tour became a powerful symbol of rebirth - for both the sport and for France. Dobkin explored this pivotal Tour and its connection to French nationalism and nationhood in the post-war period. 

MacArthur Memorial website: www.maca...

In this latest episode of the World War I Podcast, we are joined by Lillian Pfluke, a retired U.S. Army major and a member of the pioneering first class of women to graduate from West Point in 1980. After her military career, she spent ten years working for the American Battle Monuments Commission as the Private Memorials Administrator of the European Region before founding American War Memorials Overseas, an organization dedicated to identifying and preserving the thousands of U.S. war memorials found around the world. In this conversation, we discussed the many private World War I memorials overseas...

In the history of the United States, 31 of 45 presidents have served in the military, with two dozen of them serving during wartime. Yet only one president was a combat veteran of World War I: Harry S. Truman. The war shaped an entire generation of leaders, and Truman often said his service profoundly influenced his life and leadership. To explore Truman’s World War I service and its impact, the World War I Podcast hosted Mark Adams, Director of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum. 

To listen to a presentation by Mark Adams about President Truman's relief of Gen...

In 1917, with Paul von Lettow‑Vorbeck’s forces fighting a desperate guerrilla campaign in East Africa and supplies running dangerously low, the German Navy proposed an almost unbelievable solution. They would send a single airship from Bulgaria on a nonstop, one‑way mission across the Mediterranean, over enemy territory, and deep into the African interior. It was one of the most daring and least‑known operations of World War I. 

To explore the story of the Africa Ship, the World War I Podcast hosted historian and author Dominic Etzold, author of The Africa Ship: Ludwig Blockholt, Zeppelin L 59, and...

The First World War is often talked about as a global event that had a tremendous impact on everything, but how did the nations, organizations, and people involved in the war actually “frame” or understand the conflict they were fighting? That's the question at the heart of Framing the First World War: How Divergent Views Shaped a Global Conflict, a recently published collection of essays that draws on diverse fields and methods to shed just a little more light on a war that remains incompletely understood. To discuss some of these “frames” of understanding, the World War I podcast hosted t...

World War I historiography is heavily focused on the Western Front, and the memoirs of soldiers of the Central Powers—especially for English language audiences—are often rare or inaccessible. 

A Tale of Two Fronts: A German Soldier’s Journey through World War I helps fill this gap. Written by Hans Schiller, who enlisted in the Imperial German Army at age seventeen, the memoir covers his service primarily on the Eastern Front, his experiences in the war’s final months in the West, and his postwar fighting with the Freikorps until May 1920.

To discuss these experienc...

Arthur MacArthur III is less well known than his younger brother General Douglas MacArthur and his father, the Civil War hero Arthur MacArthur Jr., but his military career was also quite consequential and full. From the Spanish-American War to his untimely death in 1923, he distinguished himself as a very brave, resourceful, and energetic officer. Unlike his father and brother, however, he did not serve in the US Army. Instead, he served in the US Navy.  

Historian Jeff Acosta joined the World War I podcast to share what is known about Arthur's World War I service.

Ha...

General Douglas MacArthur is arguably the most decorated American military officer in American history. For a career that spanned five conflicts and about 50 years of active duty, it is an impressive record. His service in World War I accounts for nearly 20% of his 100+ decorations, and many military historians view the combination and number of his U.S. and international honors from 1917–1918 as truly unique. To discuss these World War I awards, the World War I Podcast hosted Sherman Fleek, a military historian and former command historian at West Point who has published on General Douglas MacArthur and the history of...

From massive national memorials to simple plaques in tiny villages, the need to remember and try to make sense of World War I was universal. Though World War I memorials stand across the U.S. it wasn’t until 2021 that a national World War I Memorial was created in Washington, D.C. To explore the significance of the National World War I Memorial and its place in history, the World War I Podcast hosted Chris Christopher, a member of the Doughboy Foundation Board.

To access additional resources and view images of the National World War I Memorial, pl...

2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the release of The Sound of Music, an enormously successful Hollywood film with fans all over the world. As with any story Hollywood translates to the silver screen, the film is a mix of fact and fiction. What is not fiction, however, is that the leading male protagonist, Captain Georg von Trapp, had served in the Austro-Hungarian Navy and was a decorated veteran of World War I. To explore this fascinating history, the World War I Podcast hosted Johanna II von Trapp and Shela Gobertina von Trapp, Co-Founders of the Georg & Agathe Foundation, and...

Edward Mandell House, better known as Colonel House, was a pivotal figure in American politics and diplomacy during World War I, serving as President Woodrow Wilson’s closest advisor and confidant from 1913 to 1919. A wealthy Texan, House was a skilled political operator who shunned public office but wielded immense influence behind the scenes. His role during World War I was particularly significant in shaping U.S. foreign policy and Wilson’s vision for peace. To discuss House, the World War I Podcast hosted Andrew Phillips, Curator at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, VA.

Part...

Edward Mandell House, better known as Colonel House, was a pivotal figure in American politics and diplomacy during World War I, serving as President Woodrow Wilson’s closest advisor and confidant from 1913 to 1919. A wealthy Texan, House was a skilled political operator who shunned public office but wielded immense influence behind the scenes. His role during World War I was particularly significant in shaping U.S. foreign policy and Wilson’s vision for peace. To discuss House, the World War I Podcast hosted Andrew Phillips, Curator at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, VA.

Part...

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, all 48 states played a role in war mobilization and made unique contributions shaped by their histories, their politics, their natural resources and industries, and their military manpower. Previous episodes have explored the experiences of eastern, southern, and midwestern states. In this latest episode, we shift west to California, a state that provided approximately 112,000 soldiers and Marines while providing crucial support for the war effort on the home front. To learn more about California's experience of World War I, we sat down with Dr. Diane North, author of California at...

John J. Pershing and Douglas MacArthur are both towering figures in American military history—Pershing as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I, and MacArthur as a key leader in World War II and the Korean War. In terms of age, they were separated by about 20 years, but they were both First Captains at West Point, both served as U.S. Army Chief of Staff, and both were absolutely devoted to the U.S. Army. Their interactions spanned decades, revealing a dynamic that oscillated between admiration, rivalry, and friction. World War I played a ve...

There are 125 WWI recipients of the Medal of Honor. One of those recipients was Private Thomas Croft Neibaur of the 167th Infantry Regiment, 42nd “Rainbow” Division who received the award for heroism at the Cote de Chatillon in 1918. Neibaur was the first Mormon and the first soldier from Idaho to receive the Medal of Honor. His actions led General John J. Pershing to name him amongst the “Immortal Ten”  of World War I, and yet, in a tragic turn of events, in 1939 Neibaur returned his Medal of Honor. To discuss Neibaur’s WWI service and life, the World War I Podcast h...

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, all 48 states played a role in war mobilization and made unique contributions that reflected their histories, their politics, their natural resources and industries, and their military manpower. Kansas was a midwestern state that provided approximately 80,000 troops and, if not for his premature death, may also have provided its adopted son, “Fighting Fred” Funston, as the commander of the AEF instead of John J. Pershing. To discuss Kansas and World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Blake Watson, author of Kansas and Kansans in World War I. 

Hav...

As stalemate ensued on the Western Front in the fall of 1914, the French Army began providing a daily wine ration for its soldiers stationed there. As the war went on, the ration went from about ¼ litre to about a bottle per soldier, per day. Armies throughout history have relied on psychotropic drugs to strategically shape the behavior of those fighting, but in the case of World War I, the French demonstrated a unique ability to harness the transformative power of alcohol to physically and emotionally fortify French soldiers to benefit the war effort. To discuss the French Army’s win...

When the United States declared war in April 1917, the 48 states that made up the nation at that time played an important role in mobilization – both in terms of manpower and in terms of the home front. Every state made a contribution that reflected its own unique history, politics, natural resources, level of industrialization, and its national guard, volunteers, and draftees.

For Mississippi in 1917, the memory of the American Civil War remained powerful. Against this backdrop, World War I was complicated, both politically and socially. At the same time however, Mississippi made major contributions to the war effort, an...

Kiffin Rockwell believed that America owed France a debt for its support during the American Revolutionary War. He was 21 years old when World War I began, and he immediately sailed to France to volunteer to fight. He initially joined the French Foreign Legion, and then joined the Escadrille Americaine (later renamed the Lafayette Escadrille). He was credited with being the first American in the Escadrille Americaine to shoot down an enemy plane. He flew dozens of patrols and saw frequent combat before being killed in action on September 23, 1916. To discuss Rockwell's life and legacy, the World War I Podcast...

Between 1914-1917, communications technology, and the way to secure or intercept this kind of traffic, progressed dramatically. When the United States entered WWI in April 1917, it had to quickly catch up in these areas. Remarkably, the Americans made considerable progress by 1918. This success was partly due to Parker Hitt, an innovative Army officer who designed modifications for machine guns but truly excelled at cryptology and at bridging the divide between civilian industry and the Army. To discuss the contributions of Parker Hitt, the World War I Podcast hosted Betsy Rohaly Smoot, author of Parker Hitt: The Father of American...

When the United States declared war in April 1917, it was unprepared to actually fight a war in Europe. The regular army was small and American industry needed time to produce war materials on a massive scale. It also needed time to train and transport troops. States would play an important role in mobilization – both in terms of manpower and in terms of the resources and industry. The 48 states that made up the United States in 1917 were all able to contribute in unique ways, based on their demographics, industry, and natural resources. To discuss North Carolina and World War I, th...

Like many leaders during WWII, Adolf Hitler served in World War I. It was an important part of his identity, and, prior to his rise to power in Germany, he even went to court to defend his service record. His detractors claimed he was a “rear area hog.” They argued he had dodged service in the Austro-Hungarian army and then spent WWI in the German army in the relative safety of his regimental HQ. Hitler won his court case, but what do we know about his war service? And, like the other future WWII leaders, how did the crucible of W...

In 1918, German secret agent, Lothar Witzke, entered the United States via the southern border. His mission was to conduct a campaign of terror and sabotage. This included the destruction of American factories making war materials, the assassination of American officials, and fomenting racial unrest. To explore this little-known chapter in WWI history, the World War I Podcast hosted Bill Mills, author of Agent of the Iron Cross: The Race to Capture German Saboteur-Assassin Lothar Witzke During World War I. 

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can read texts, but we c...

The North Sea was one of the most relevant naval theatres of the war. It was also home to important fishing grounds. By 1914 a combination of technology, markets, and demand was leading to overfishing in the region. World War I reversed this, but it was a temporary respite.  To discuss the short- and long-term impact of World War I on the North Sea, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Ingo Heidbrink, Professor of History at Old Dominion University, a specialist in maritime history.  

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we ca...

How does World War I poetry help us understand the complexity of the experience of the war? Why was poetry so important then? Why does the poetry of World War I continue to have such resonance? To answer these questions, the World War I Podcast hosted two subject matter experts: Dr. Connie Ruzich, Professor of English at Robert Morris University and editor of International Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology of Lost Voices, and Dr. Jennifer Orth-Veillon, a professor at Georgia Tech - Metz and editor of Beyond Their Limits of Longing: Contemporary Writers and Veterans on...

When most people think of World War I on the Western Front, they probably think of trenches. Trench systems were present along most of the 475 miles from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps. It wasn’t just one straight continuous line, however. The system had many layers that supported the daily life and movement of millions of soldiers. If laid end to end, the trench systems would have stretched an estimated 35,000 miles. 

Trenches play a prominent role in most WWI movies. They are often depicted as sites of suffering, terror, and boredom. But what was day to...

Part II
In early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, the World War I Podcast hosted Robert J. Laplander, author of Finding the...

Part I
In early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, the World War I Podcast hosted Robert J. Laplander, author of Finding the...

Between September 1814 and June 1815, against the backdrop of Napoleon’s exile to Elba and his brief return, the Congress of Vienna worked out a new way to balance the power of the Great Powers and avoid future conflict. This system was called the Concert of Europe. It was supposed to keep the peace, and indeed, on the eve of World War I, many people in Europe were celebrating a century of relative peace on the continent – a golden age of European power and civilization. There had been regional conflicts in Europe and colonial wars, but nothing on the scale of t...

In 1914, as German forces quickly outmaneuvered Allied armies in the opening days of the war, there was some suspicion among the Allies that the circuses that had traveled around Europe in the years before the war – many of which were owned by German families or had German names – had helped prepare the German army by perfecting the art of rapid and efficient mobilization and transport. Even Americans – not yet involved in the war – suspected this to be the case and looked at circuses like the Ringling Brothers with suspicion. Was this true? Did armies prior to World War I study ci...

When World War I began, the famed historian, sociologist, and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois was at the height of his influence. When the United States entered the war, he encouraged African Americans to “close ranks” and support the Allied cause. Tasked with writing a definitive history of the African American soldier in World War I, Du Bois ultimately came to be haunted by his support for the war. The manuscript for that project remains unpublished. To discuss Du Bois and World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Chad L. Williams, author of The...

In the winter of 1918, General John J. Pershing presented then Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur with his second Distinguished Service Cross. The award was for actions in France at the Côte de Châtillon between October 14-16, 1918. The citation ends with an interesting sentence: “On a field where courage was the rule, his courage was the dominant feature.” What happened there? What do we know about the circumstances behind this award? To answer these questions, MacArthur Memorial historians Amanda Williams and Jim Zobel sat down to discuss this WWI chapter in Douglas MacArthur's career. 

Have a comment about t...

In 1890, half of the US Government’s budget was devoted to disability pensions for Civil War veterans. This enormous financial burden combined with medical advances led to a different approach when it came to the US Army’s care of wounded soldiers in World War I. Far from the passive convalescent homes of previous wars, in World War I the US Army’s commitment to rehabilitation would mark a new chapter in the care of the wounded. To share the story of these rehabilitation programs, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Sanders Marble of the Office of Medical Histor...

Between 1914-1916, Portugal walked a delicate line. While actively engaged in an undeclared war with Germany in Africa, Portugal was not a combatant in Europe, nor did it officially declare neutrality. It stayed out of the war, but it provided support in a variety of ways to Britain – its historical ally. Britain hoped to maintain this arrangement for the duration of the war. In contrast, the Portuguese government was anxious to join the war. In March 1916, it got its way. By 1917, the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP) was fighting in France. 

In the decades after WWI, the dominant tre...

When WWI began in 1914, Catholic priests were virtual pariahs in France. This was the result of a trend towards anti-clericalism that began with the French Revolution and continued in fits and starts into the 20th century. Prior to WWI, to further eliminate perceived privilege, France’s Third Republic made priests eligible for military service. Ironically though, this attempt to erase them as a distinct social class provided French priests the opportunity to be seen as patriots. Tens of thousands of priests served in the French Army during WWI – alongside nearly 2/3’s of France’s male population. To explore this novel ch...

On Feb. 8, 2022, a local undertaker was digging a grave in the cemetery at Villers-sur-Fère, a small village in northeastern France near the Ourcq River, where the U.S. Army’s 42d Infantry Division pushed back German forces in 1918. At about four feet down, the undertaker unearthed human bones. He didn’t know it at the time, but he had found an American Doughboy. 

Michael G. Knapp, Director of Historical Services for the American Battle Monuments Commission, joined the World War I Podcast to discuss the identification process and what we know about this soldier.  

The sol...

On October 8, 1918, seventeen American soldiers of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 328th Infantry, 82nd Division flanked a German machine gun nest, surprising and capturing dozens of German soldiers. Acting Corporal Alvin York – a conscientious objector turned warrior – was credited with leading the squad and singlehandedly killing 20 Germans, knocking out 35 machine guns, and capturing 132. York later received the Medal of Honor for this action, and his exploits were forever immortalized in the 1941 movie Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper.

The World War I Podcast covered the story of York in an episode in 2017, but since then, there has been additional scho...