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133: Heading “Over There:” “Black Jack” Pershing & Creating WWI’s American Expeditionary Force May 08, 2023

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“Lafayette, nous sommes ici!” (Lafayette, we are here!)

This is the story of a nation building an army from nothing.

After years of trying to avoid entanglements with and war in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson has asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. But that’s easier said than done.

The US might be the world’s greatest industrial producer and have a large population, but will the nation’s population of heavily first- and second-generation American citizens (or non-citizens), speaking roughly 50 different languages, answer the call to arms? Can production be turned from civilian-focused (or British and French focused) to the needs of an instantaneous expeditionary force? In short: is it even possible for the largely isolationist United States to train and muster a world-class army? And if it is, who can take the reins of this formidable force that will be far larger than any that the nation’s most storied military commanders–from George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant–ever led? And can that leader keep the British and French from trying to take those reins? From “amalgamating” US troops into their own armies?

You’re damn right there is. Welcome to America’s story, General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing.

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132: The US Enters WWI (RMS Lusitania, Black Tom Island, & The Zimmermann Telegram) Apr 24, 2023

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“I still think I see the struggling of poor passengers in the water.”

This is the story of the United States’ path into the Great War.

The United States wishes to stay out of the Great War. Woodrow Wilson wins reelection (barely) on that very basis. But as Germany contends with Britain’s blockade, its submarines, or “U-boats,” are attacking merchant and passenger ships (like the RMS Lusitania) without warning. This policy is touch and go, but worse still, the US learns in February 1917 that Germany sent a secret telegram to Mexico offering to ally against the US! After more than two years of clinging to peace, President Woodrow Wilson can’t turn a blind eye to this and Germany’s other atrocities. In the name of protecting democracy, he calls for war.

But what about Britain’s unethical if not illegal “hunger blockade” of German ports? Do starving German children justify unrestricted submarine warfare? What about the billions of dollars in loans and goods the “neutral” US has sent to Britain and France over the years? Does that tip the scales on why the US is going to war? These complications and questions of right and wrong are for Congress to decide.

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131: Epilogue on World War 1 before the US Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

Starting the Great War (World War I) and covering this massive conflict up to 1917 has been a pretty big task unto itself. So, before we go in close on America's role, Greg and Kelsi sit down to digest and talk through a few aspects of the War, as well as share a few additional stories and experiences.

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130: Russia: From the Great War to Revolution with Deputy Provost Kat Brown Mar 27, 2023

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To say Russia had a difficult go of it during World War I would be a gross understatement. Millions of dead, lost territory, soldiers charging into battle without guns, starvation, a less than savory holy man influencing the Czar and Czarina, and of course, revolution! How do we even begin to wrap our heads around all of that, let alone contemplate the impact on the United States? Simple: we talk it out with Greg’s UVU colleague, Deputy Provost Kat Brown. A historian and expert on Russia, Kat joins Greg for a chat that tackles all of the above in one jam-packed episode.

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129: World War I Before the US (Military Tech, Trenches, Global Armies, Ypres, Verdun & the Somme) Mar 13, 2023

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“In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row.”

This is the story of the first two and a half years of the Great War, particularly, of the Western Front. These are the years leading to the United States’ entry.

After saving two German warships, the Ottoman Empire joins the Great War as a Central Power. Meanwhile, the work of death is moving forward on a scale unlike any other seen. Improved, or altogether new, weapons—rapid firing repeating rifles, machine guns, gas, flamethrowers, armed airplanes, and tanks—terrify and slaughter trench-dwelling soldiers. Bodies are soon counted by the millions. We’ll get a sample of this as we visit three particularly deadly areas of the Western Front: Ypres, Verdun, and the Somme.

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128: The Causes of World War I (From the Congress of Vienna to Franz Ferdinand & the Marne) Feb 27, 2023

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“Sopherl, Sopherl! Don’t die on me. Live for our children.”

This is the 99-year story of Europe’s descent into total war.

The Napoleonic Wars devastated Europe. The continent’s five great powers responded by meeting in Vienna in 1815 to establish a balance of power between them. In the future, no single power should be able to lead the continent into war. They also agree to meet as a “Concert of Europe” to hash out future developments.

The years give way to decades. The Concert endures the rising pressures of industrialization, rising nationalism, New Imperialism, militarism, and a few smaller localized wars, particularly three conflicts engineered by Prussian Minister-President Otto von Bismarck. He isolates France to maintain peace, but after his departure, rigid alliance systems with secret clauses fully displace the flexibility of the Concert. And without that flexibility, a minor event could spark an outsized reaction. It’s in this situation that Austria-Hungary’s heir presumptive travels to the unstable Balkans and meets disaster in the streets of Sarajevo.

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127: Mr. Wilson Goes to Washington (Progressive Policies & Foreign Affairs in South America) Feb 13, 2023

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“It would be the irony of fate if my administration had to deal chiefly with foreign affairs.”

This is the story of the lesser-known aspects of Woodrow Wilson’s presidency–the events outside of World War I.

The Progressive Era is still in full force as Woodrow Wilson enters the White House. Amid constitutional amendments 16 and 17, Woodrow continues to carry this wave of reform with a new central banking system, income tax, and monopoly-checking regulations. He does so, however, at the expense of his state-focused presidential platform. Ironically, he’s adopting a more federal and “Theodore Roosevelt” approach.

But the true irony is the growing focus on foreign affairs. Woodrow knows little to nothing of the world beyond the United States, but with Mexico in revolution and concerns about Germany getting a foothold in the Caribbean, the self-proclaimed anti-imperialist professor finds himself relying on military interventions in South America more often than any of his predecessors. Woodrow is learning the challenges of foreign policy the hard way; he’s doing so while facing the terrible grief of his wife’s death.

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126: Christmas Special 6: Jacob Riis’ “Is There a Santa Claus?” Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

“Now, how would you like to be a reporter, if you have got nothing better to do?”

This is the story of a reporter–a muckraker–answering a boy who wants to know if Santa Clause actually exists. And somehow, it’s an answer that manages to mention Theodore Roosevelt.

This is Jacob Riis’ Is There a Santa Clause?

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125: Epilogue: The Progressive Era Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

So much to say–it’s been a while!

Kelsi and Greg share stories that they wish made it into some episodes, but alas, just couldn’t (looking at you, Ellis Island). Greg expresses his deep sympathy for K-12 teachers that are expected to teach “all” US history in a single year because that’s just an impossible task. And there’s a bit of discussion about newsletters and HTDS LIVE in New York City!

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124: The “Bull Moose” Election of 1912 Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

“It’s true. But it takes more than that to kill a bull moose.”

This is the story of one of the most unique, bitter, impactful, and noteworthy elections in US history: the presidential election of 1912.

President William H. Taft is sure that he’s carrying on the progressive legacy of his dear friend and mentor, Theodore Roosevelt. But TR disagrees. Returning from an African safari and European tour, Teddy feels compelled to challenge his old friend for the GOP nomination as he touts his progressive “New Nationalism” plan. His challenge will split the party and several friendships.

But TR isn’t the only one talking “reform.” A rising star in the Democratic Party, Princeton Professor and President T. Woodrow Wilson, is also looking to take his party down the progressive path. The professor is putting his “New Freedom” up against TR’s New Nationalism. Nor is Woodrow the only challenger. Socialist Eugene Debs thinks both the Prof. and TR are too still conservative, and he’s armed with greater support for the socialist cause than the nation has ever seen.

A Republican. A Socialist. A progressive Democrat. A progressive Bull Moose. That mix alone is interesting, to say nothing of the friendships that will end or a nearly successful assassination attempt. This is the election of 1912.

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