One hundred years ago yesterday, “on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month,” World War I ended. Like most history-lovers, I grew up deeply entrenched in World War II and Civil War history. The American War of Independence would be the next most likely war I studied, followed by Vietnam. Forgotten? World War I. probably spent less time learning about this war because of the small scale of U.S. involvement compared to the European nations. I also think the war’s nature—trench warfare with very little maneuver—captures the burgeoning platoon commander’s attention far less than the maneuver warfare and gallantry of the American Civil War and World War II. In the last few years I have been trying to beef-up my historical study of topics I don’t know much about—Napoleon, MacArthur, and, sadly for a former Marine Corps officer, the Pacific Theater of World War II. World War I was brutal. Orders to the front line were a near-death sentence. It’s a day after the anniversary, and I hope you took a moment to remember the millions of men who died or were injured in the “war to end all wars.”
If you find yourself without a lot of knowledge on World War I, please, please, please use Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History* podcast as a launching off point. Dan’s massive, thoroughly entertaining, six-part series “Blueprint for Armageddon” is, bar none, the best, most approachable way to learn about World War I. Here is a link where you can get the podcast, but consider yourself warned: Dan moves his free podcast out of the free category as he releases new podcasts. As of today, Blueprint for Armageddon appears to be the next series to move behind the pay firewall, so act fast.
I still remember, and will never forget, the exact spot where Dan describes Armistice Day (“It was the sound of men, cheering.”). I got chills and felt a bit emotional both that this podcast journey through World War I was done and thinking of the millions and millions of casualties, their families, their would-be wives, and their would-be children, their wold-be contributions to the world, etc.
*I can never mention Dan Carlin or Hardcore History without recommending his series The Wrath of the Khans. Looks like it’s $10. You will not regret buying it. I promise.
