History with Mark Bielski

Mark's guest is Robert J. Laplander about his book Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America's Famous WWI Epic. They discuss his deep research in the story of the soldiers and their commander, Charles Whittlesey and their grueling ordeal by fire in the Argonne Forest. This definitive work follows these men of the 77th Division and chronicles their lives and sacrifices in battle during September and October 1918.

We reprise the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Historian Hal Stearns. Recorded at Fort Clatsop near Astoria, Oregon, it gives a detailed narrative overview of that incredible explorative journey. But first Mark responds to a comment from a listener about General George B. McClellan; then as an added attraction, we close with a short history quiz and prize for the first with correct answers.

We review some significant November events in history from WWI to the American Revolution as well as the American Civil War and WWII. We include the First Battle of Ypres in 1914 and the 1918 Armistice that ended the bloodshed of WWI as well as the last action of the Civil War with the surrender of the CSS Shenandoah and a brief glimpse at one of the Confederate government's most interesting characters. For WWII we have the scuttling of the French fleet in 1942 while the Germans watched their potential prize of warships sink to the bottom of the sea.

Professor Gary Sheffield offers insightful analysis of the end of WWI. One of Britain's foremost experts on WWI returns to discuss America's participation in the Great War, the conclusion of hostilities, the Armistice of 11 November 1918 and the Versailles Treaty. Mark draws from Professor Sheffield's new release of "The First World War," published in association with the Imperial War Museum, as well as his earlier work, "Forgotten Victory."

We go back to Good Friday April 1865 and President Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre in Washington. Later that night, assassin John Wilkes Booth, on the run and in desperate need of medical attention for his broken leg, stopped at the home of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd in Southern Maryland. Mark visits the home and grounds, now a museum, with Curator Dorothea Barstow to learn about the conspiracy, Booth and Dr. Mudd.

Professor Gary Sheffield, one of Britain's foremost experts on WWI, discusses his new edition book The First World War, published in association with the Imperial War Museum. Mark and Professor Sheffield review the War up until the end and American involvement in 1918. They cover the major events in the great cataclysm as well as some lesser known, yet important and intriguing aspects of the war.

A look at some autumn events in WWII and the Civil War, as well as WWI and the American Revolution. We include the 1918 Meuse-Argonne offensive by the America Expeditionary Forces and the French army. Launched against the Germans on the Western Front, this final campaign led to the Armistice. We also look at the momentous events that took place at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. Again, with the aid of the French, this battle proved to be the final military blow for the British in the American war for independence.

Historian Kevin Hymel returns for a discussion of General George S. Patton's post-war governance in Germany and the actual story of his fatal accident and death. This is Part II of a two-part episode.

Jack Mountcastle returns to discuss the momentous battle of Antietam in September 1862. It was the single bloodiest day of warfare in American history. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, emboldened by the victory at Second Manassas in August 1862, had crossed into Maryland. Near the little town of Sharpsburg, they clashed with the Union Army of the Potomac under George B. McClellan. Somehow Lee's battle plans fell into Union hands. Would that make a difference?

Mark speaks with authors Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic about their new book, Indianapolis, a study of the worst sea disaster in U.S. Naval history. Published by Simon & Schuster, Indianapolis is the story of the ship that delivered the atomic bomb in 1945, then was sunk by Japanese torpedoes. It relates individual stories of the sailors, their ordeal in shark-infested Pacific waters awaiting rescue, the aftermath and media coverage, as well as the families of the lost and efforts to exonerate the captain after his court martial.