The Jolly Roger is the default symbol of pirates and piracy.  During World War I however, some British submarine crews began flying the Jolly Roger to indicate a successful patrol.  This was somewhat problematic because World War I was also a war of propaganda.  British propaganda was trying to convince the world that Germany was the predator and that the British were the guardians of civilization. British submarines flying the pirate flag risked upsetting this narrative.  Nevertheless, Briti...

The Jolly Roger and World War I

World War I created many of the political, cultural, and economic fault lines of the world today. Produced by the MacArthur Memorial, this podcast explores a wide variety of topics related to World War I.&nbsp;

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The North Sea was one of the most relevant naval theatres of the war. It was also home to important fishing grounds. By 1914 a combination of technology, markets, and demand was leading to overfishing in the region. World War I reversed this, but it was a temporary respite.  To discuss the short- and long-term impact of World War I on the North Sea, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Ingo Heidbrink, Professor of History at Old Dominion University, a specialist in maritime history.  ...

Environmental Impact of World War I on North Sea Fishing

How does World War I poetry help us understand the complexity of the experience of the war? Why was poetry so important then? Why does the poetry of World War I continue to have such resonance? To answer these questions, the World War I Podcast hosted two subject matter experts: Dr. Connie Ruzich, Professor of English at Robert Morris University and editor of International Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology of Lost Voices, and Dr. Jennifer Orth-Veillon, a professor at Georgia Tech - ...

World War I Poetry: Lost Voices and New Voices

When most people think of World War I on the Western Front, they probably think of trenches. Trench systems were present along most of the 475 miles from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps. It wasn’t just one straight continuous line, however. The system had many layers that supported the daily life and movement of millions of soldiers. If laid end to end, the trench systems would have stretched an estimated 35,000 miles. Trenches play a prominent role in most WWI movies. They are oft...

The Trenches: Reality vs Movies

Part IIIn early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, ...

The Lost Battalion - Part II

Part IIn early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, t...

The Jolly Roger and World War I

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