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 as 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/

Ypres Day with Lady Lucy French & Roger Steward of the New Ypres League 08/09/2026

Second Marne - The Period of Waiting 06/24/2026

New Jersey’s Role in World War I - with LTC (Ret.) Richard Wasserman 06/18/2026

New Jersey’s Role in World War I - with LTC (Ret.) Richard Wasserman ***Technical note: My apologies on the audio reverb that may be heard in this episode. A concise history revealing New Jersey’s vital industrial, military, and civilian contributions to America’s World War I effort. During World War I, New Jersey played a prominent role in the manufacturing of war-related munitions, created the infrastructure necessary to train and mobilize troops, and supplied a portion of the manpower necessary to fight overseas. Without the support of New Jersey’s industrial base, the war effort of the United States may very well have failed. Contributions from New Jersey ranged from artillery rounds from Amatol, fuses from Bloomfield, shells from Lyndhurst, gun carriages (Singer), aircraft engines (Duesenberg), Handley Page Bombers from Elizabeth, and ship building (New York Shipbuilding and ELCO). Over 140,000 New Jerseyans served during the war, and the state was home to 38 military installations by the end of the war, including Camp Dix. Troops from New Jersey included National Guard units activated and assigned to the 29th Division that trained at Camp McClellan, Alabama, and National Army soldiers (draftee) assigned to the 78th Division that trained at Camp Dix. New Jersey-based units from the 29th and 78th Infantry Divisions would fight in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Women, too, underwent training in New Jersey, in preparation to serve in the Army Signal Corps, while women from the state volunteered to serve with aid organizations including the Red Cross, and raised money for the war effort. In the post-war years, over 160 monuments were constructed across New Jersey to memorialize the war dead and honor the veterans who served in the Great War, including several of the famous “Spirit of the American Doughboy” statues produced by E. M. Viquesney. New Jersey mothers and widows would travel in pilgrimages to the battlefields and cemeteries of France, such as the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, as well as to Brookwood cemetery in Great Britain to visit the graves of their loved ones in the 1930s as part of the Gold Star Mothers and Widows Pilgrimage. This book will for the first time reveal the full extent of New Jersey’s pivotal role in America’s war effort during the Great War, and will shed light on prominent figures and their connections to New Jersey, such as Dr. Fred Albee, the father of bone grafting, Cecil Dorrian, the first American female War Reporter in World War I, Amabel Roberts, the first American nurse from New Jersey to die during the war in France, and Lillian Marx, who danced and sang in Newark during war support donation events. Where to buy: https://www.brooklinebooks.com/9781955041478/the-war-to-end-all-wars/ 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: 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! :) /episode/index/show/firstworldwarpodcast/id/41557435

Matz - La Mort du Sergent Jules Héme 06/11/2026

Second Marne - Friedensturm 06/01/2026

Memorial Day - "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak" 05/25/2026

Citizen of the Shadows - The Lives and Lies of Lothar Witzke 05/17/2026

Citizen of the Shadows - The Lives and Lies of Lothar Witzke 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: 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! :) /episode/index/show/firstworldwarpodcast/id/41127865

There Will Come Soft Rains - with Briana Gervat 05/03/2026

John McCrae: Beyond Flanders Fields - with Susan Raby-Dunne 04/26/2026

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 7, Pt 1 04/16/2026

British Doctrine in the Great War with Phil Watson 04/12/2026

The Extraordinary Life of Henri Langie with Eric and Tom Langie 03/29/2026

A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell 03/15/2026

Second Marne - Mangin on the Matz 03/01/2026

AEF Tank Corps - A Discussion with Steve Girard 02/15/2026

The Battle for Disabled Veterans’ Recognition - A Discussion with Dr. Eric Story 02/01/2026

Die Vergessene Schlacht - A Discussion with Alfons Philippi 01/19/2026

Second Marne - Blücher-Yorck 12/21/2025

Remembering Victoria Cross Recipients with Ron Howard and Adam Pearce 12/14/2025

Fighting the Kaiser’s War: The Saxons in Flanders 1914/1918 12/10/2025

Searching for John DeWitt - A Discussion with John Chase, MD 12/07/2025

Searching for John DeWitt - A Discussion with John Chase, MD Author and grandson John Chase, MD comes on the podcast to discuss his book based on the letters his grandfather, John DeWitt, wrote home during the First World War. From Hellgate Press: When recently retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Chase stumbles upon a hidden trove of over 80 letters from his grandfather, John DeWitt, written from the trenches of World War I, he embarks on a life-changing journey. These letters reveal the untold story of DeWitt, a 21-year-old trench runner who faced the brutal realities of war with unmatched bravery. As Chase delves into these long-forgotten letters, he uncovers heart-wrenching tales of heroism, silent suffering, and the immense personal cost of war that DeWitt never spoke of. Each letter paints a vivid picture of resilience and sacrifice, offering a deeply personal glimpse into a chapter of history. Searching for John DeWitt is more than a historical narrative; it’s a gripping family saga that bridges generations. Through this emotional and eye-opening journey, Chase honors his grandfather’s legacy and sheds light on the silent burdens carried by veterans. This book uncovers an untold story of valor and the unbreakable strength of family bonds in the face of war. Join Dr. John Chase in Searching for John DeWitt and discover a hidden legacy of heroism. Experience the intimate and powerful world of a soldier in the Great War, and uncover a story that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. “I realized my grandfather’s notes home were like the North Atlantic icebergs…beneath the surface was a more important story, not just about my grandfather, but about an entire generation of young men now for the most part forgotten.” Where to buy: 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: 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! :) /episode/index/show/firstworldwarpodcast/id/39101775