Wilson's 14 points - Episode #54

Highlights

1917 key events in review |@ 01:30

Wilson’s 14 points |@ 07:50

Crisis for the allies - Mike Shuster |@ 11:45

A Century in the Making - Sabin Howard |@ 16:45

Speaking WW1 - Tank |@ 25:00

The Education Program - Dr. Libby O’Connell |@ 26:30

100 Cities / 100 Memorials Round #2 deadline |@ 32:40

The Chaplains Corps in WW1 - Dr. John Boyd |@ 33:15

American Women Physicians in WW1 |@ 39:10

PAFA at Frist |@ 40:30

The Buzz - Katherine Akey |@ 41:15----more----

Opening

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News episode #54 - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week  - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration.

Today is January 12th, 2018 and our guests this week include:

Mike Shuster discussing the situation facing Allied forces at the outset of 1918

Master sculptor Sabin Howard telling us about how, meeting a man named Richard Taylor is transforming his approach to creating the sculpture for the National World War One Memorial in Pershing Park

Dr. Libby O’Connell speaking with us about the commission’s Education program

Dr John Boyd with the history of chaplains in the Armed Forces during WWI

And Katherine Akey, with the Buzz - with some great selections from the centennial of WWI in social media

WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show.

[MUSIC]

Preface

You know---- Our way-back machine not only travels in time,

but also in space

so as we roll back 100 years, but are also going up to 10 thousand feet to get a high level view of what happened in 1917 and a glance into the future for what to expect for this upcoming year ---  in the war the changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

World War One THEN

100 Year Ago This Week

[MUSIC TRANSITION]

Looking back across 1917 from way up here,  we can see:

Wilson being sworn in as the President who promises to keep us out of the war,

but events early in the year,

pressure from the allies,

aggressive and presumptuous actions by Germany, builds up by spring to a declaration of war.

We see a massive rush to mobilize for war.

We see our allies struggling with ever more massive and devastating loss of treasure and men - standing on the brink of devastation -

and we see the eastern allie - Russia - go through two revolutions in one year -

the first - which collapses the Tsarist government -

the second - late in the year -- when Lenin and the bolsheviks take over and effectively drop Russia out of the war,

This is to Germany’s great delight, anticipating the freeing up of massive resources -- with which Germany can deal the allies - a knock-out punch - in an upcoming spring.

Let’s zoom down for a bit closer look at 1917

In late January, early February Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare - reneging on promises made to Wilson after the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania. The US severs diplomatic ties with Germany.

In an attempt to draw the US into the fight, Britain passes along a secret telegram showing an offer by Germany to Mexico promising great rewards including Texas and New Mexico - if Mexico will toss in with Germany - and help take down the US. This does not sit well.

By March with Germany attacking shipping everywhere - the Wilson asks congress to put Navy armaments and sailors aboard US merchant ships. Congress doesn’t go for it - so he issues an executive order to the same effect.

While over in Russia - Revolution #1 -

and Tsar Nicholas II abdicates..

By the end of march, Germany’s blatant aggression against the US gets Wilson’s cabinet to vote unanimously in favor of declaring war.

April is big…

On the 2nd Wilson delivers a war address to congress, and four days later -  on April 6th -- congress votes to go to war.

Over in Europe - French Commander in Chief General Robert Nivelle cranks up a strategic plan