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Battles of the First World War Podcast — History
Battles of the First World War Podcast

The Battles of the First World War Podcast tells the story of the Great War of 1914-1918. Telling the stories of the men and women who fought, died in, and survived the battles of the First World War connects our world to theirs and keeps their memory alive.

The BFWWP studies one battle at a time from World War I in narrative form, diving into the people, strategy, tactics, and events of each of these titanic clashes. How and why these battles unfolded and happened as they did is told through the voices of those who were there.

Narrative episodes go in-depth into the battles of WW1. Discussions, interviews, and book talks highlight other interesting events and people of the First World War. Follow now to hear and remember the stories.

Host: Mike Cunha, MA Military History

Questions, comments, concerns, or WW1 memes: verdunpodcast@gmail.com

Join the BFWWP community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast

Support the BFWWP via PayPal: verdunpodcast@gmail.com Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! 🙂

Socials:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww1battlepodcast/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast/ Website: http://www.firstworldwarpodcast.com/

Latest Episodes:

Memorial Day - "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak" May 25, 2026

Show notes

A short exploration of the American poet Archibald MacLeish's connection to the First World War, and his poem "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak."

The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak

Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them?

They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts.

They say, We were young. We have died. Remember us.

They say, We have done what we could but until it is finished it is not done.

They say, We have given our lives but until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave.

They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours: they will mean what you make them.

They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this.

They say, We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning.

We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

Citizen of the Shadows - The Lives and Lies of Lothar Witzke May 17, 2026

Show notes

Authors Paul Friedland and Robert Hornick join us on the podcast to discuss their thoroughly researched, well-argued and thrilling biography of a now-forgotten German spy during WW1.

One of the most notorious German spies of the twentieth century, Lothar Witzke lived a life that reads like a thriller. Convicted of espionage in 1918, he was the only German spy sentenced to death by the United States during World War I. After the war, he was pardoned by President Calvin Coolidge, only to be later accused of responsibility for one of the most spectacular acts of sabotage in US history: the Black Tom munitions depot explosion.

After being repatriated to Germany, Witzke lived in Latin America and China as a German expat and later joined the Nazi party. He ran espionage squads in Great Britain during World War II and became a prominent businessman in Hamburg after the war. He was killed in Hamburg in 1962, possibly by an East German agent as payback for suspected double agent work on behalf of the British.

With Citizen of the Shadows, the first full biography of Witzke, Paul Friedland and Robert Hornick trace Witzke's morally complicated life and show readers how an infamous spy thrived in the interwar years and after. They probe his trial, conviction, and pardon, and analyze whether Witzke was really involved in the Black Tom explosion. In doing so, the authors uncover that many of the details of Witzke's life—long assumed to be true—were lies.

Where to buy: https://utpress.org/9798895270332/citizen-of-the-shadows/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

There Will Come Soft Rains - with Briana Gervat May 03, 2026

Show notes

In 2022, just as the world began to open after the isolation of a global pandemic, Briana Gervat set out to walk the length of the Western Front. Beginning at the border that France shares with Switzerland she went into the wild in search of hope and in search of peace. For 500 miles, she climbed over the mountains of the Vosges, through the battle-scarred landscapes of Verdun, the Marne, and the Somme, all the way to the North Sea in Belgium. It was not only a journey of thirty-six days, but a journey through a history that we have learned nothing from, only how better to repeat it.

Join us for a discussion of travel, France, WW1 history, and the feeling of connection and renewal that travel brings.

Where to buy: https://a.co/d/06vEtvyk

Briana Gervat's website: https://www.theperegrinepilgrim.com/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

John McCrae: Beyond Flanders Fields - with Susan Raby-Dunne Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

Author, historian, and battlefield guide Susan Raby-Dunne joins us to discuss her book "John McCrae: Beyond Flanders Fields."

Most Canadians are familiar with John McCrae through his iconic poem "In Flanders Fields," which was penned on the battlefields of the First World War and remains a symbol of remembrance to this day. Although he will always be remembered as a war poet, the Guelph, Ontario, native was a physician, a university professor, and a veteran of the Second Boer War before he ever laid eyes on the carnage at Flanders Fields. Citing rarely seen diary entries and letters, as well as never-before-published photos of McCrae's early life, military historian and McCrae enthusiast Susan Raby-Dunne tells the complete story of John McCrae—a man whose final chapter of life made him immortal, but who accomplished so much and helped so many in the decades before.

Canadian War History Tours: https://canadianwarhistorytours.ca/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 7, Pt 1 Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Part 7 of the ongoing discussion continues to look at the French Army in 1917. We look at the state of the French Army going into 1917, where the army itself was in good shape but its leadership was an entirely different story. The rising star of GEN Robert Nivelle and the politics around his ascension is discussed, as well as the offensive that bears his name and destroyed his career.

The indiscipline of the French Army is visited through the question of "Were there mutinies in 1917, or were they more like military labor strikes?" The replacement of Nivelle with GEN Philippe Petain is reviewed as well, but we will get into his leadership of the army and approach to warfighting in the Pt 2 episode. Join us for a fascinating discussion.

Joining us for this discussion are:

Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects,
Jim Smithson, author of "A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917" and two guide books on the Arras battlefields

Suggested reading to expand on this episode -

"Flesh and Steel During the Great War" by Michel Goya: https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781473886964/flesh-and-steel-during-the-great-war/

Great War Group: https://greatwargroup.com/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

British Doctrine in the Great War with Phil Watson Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

British Army veteran and University of Wolverhampton PhD candidate Phil Watson joins the podcast for a fascinating discussion on British doctrine in the Great War. (Which YES, they did have a doctrine.)

Phil has a couple of questions for the listeners as well, in the interest of generating discussion:

Regarding the "chateau generals," why were chateaus the place for generals?

Regarding the idea of mission command and decentralized leadership, were some BEF officers not used to using initiative?

Email Phil directly at lancerwatson@live.co.uk with your ideas!

Be sure to watch Phil's talk with the WFA regarding doctrine here as well: https://youtu.be/Y6-LUxYewwU?si=_VyEkG7VpqIfXRD_

Link to 1909 Field Service Regulations:

https://share.google/ypOICUrlYnog7vGbz

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

The Extraordinary Life of Henri Langie with Eric and Tom Langie Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

Independent historians Eric and Tom Langie, a father and son duo, come on the podcast to discuss the extraordinary life of their ancestor Henri Langie and the book they have written about him, "Henri Langie: From War Volunteer in WW I to Honorary Major in WW II."

Henri went from a schoolteacher to a stretcherbearer and officer in WW1, to professiona soldier and later a battalion commander and POW during WW2, to becoming a beloved "Kleine Bompa" in his peaceful years of retirement.

Henri lived a truly extraordinary life, and this is a story you will enjoy.

Where to buy (Europe): https://www.bravenewbooks.nl/site/?r=userwebsite/bookdetails&id=22023848

Where to buy the book (UK): https://amzn.eu/d/04alvcqy

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell Mar 15, 2026

Show notes

Author Antony J. Bell comes on the podcast to discuss his novel "A Penny a Shell."

From the author's website:

"In a WWI munitions factory, the lives of three women converge on a dangerous production line where a single spark means the difference between a bonus and a burial.

Eliza Wren, a desperate mother, races to pay a looming debt to save her family from eviction. Sarah Jennings, a defiant outcast, endures the factory's poison to fund an escape from a life of cruelty. Lucy Atkinson, a grieving daughter, works to honor her brother's memory and support her broken parents.

Driven by the promise of a "penny a shell" bonus, the women push themselves and their machinery to the breaking point. But as the pressure from watchers with stopwatches mounts and the equipment begins to fail, they must decide what they are willing to risk for survival.

Based on the true, forgotten story of the Barnbow Lasses, A Penny a Shell is a powerful and moving tribute to the quiet courage and fierce solidarity of the women who fought their own war on the home front."

Where to buy: https://antonyjbell.com/books/a-penny-a-shell/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

Second Marne - Mangin on the Matz Mar 01, 2026

Show notes

The guns of Blücher-Yorck were still smoking when the Germans reoriented and hastily launched a new offensive between Montdidier and Noyon. The goal was to straighten the line between two bulging German salients, seize more of the Soissons rail line, and continue to drive towards Paris.

But the French Army had other ideas: unleashing GEN Charles Mangin.

A lot will be learned in the Battle of the Matz, and it will be applied on the Marne weeks later.

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

AEF Tank Corps - A Discussion with Steve Girard Feb 15, 2026

Show notes

Steven Girard, US Army veteran and veteran battlefield guide, comes back on the podcast to discuss the American Expeditionary Force's Tank Corps during the First World War.

Suggested reading:

Treat 'Em Rough: The Birth of American Armor 1917–20 - https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781612006680/treat-em-rough/

Pershing's Tankers: Personal Accounts of the AEF Tank Corps in World War I - https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813176048/pershings-tankers/

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

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