WW1 Centennial News

• January 4,  Episode #1- our first story! | @ 01:05

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - Episode #52.

This New Year’s week, and next week, we have a special 2-episode series for you.

Next week marks our first anniversary for the show so wanted to share some of our favorite stories and segments from 2017 with you!

They are presented in chronological order. Part 1 takes us into July 2017, and Part 2 through the end of the year.

We are not going to spend time setting up each piece, but we will tell you the date, the episode and the article title each time - to keep it all in context.

WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US World War One centennial Commission and the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker

Military Museum and Library.

See above for the list of stories

Thank you for having joined us for our WW1 Centennial News New Year’s Special - The best of 2017 - Part 1.

Join us next week for Part 2.

Happy New year to all of you for 2018 and for 1918 from the whole team at WW1 Centennial News

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

Thank you to the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

This podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

[MUSIC]

So long!

This Special episode is a Holiday music compilation from the WWI era. It features a special homily from Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben - Chief of Navy Chaplains, with words of thanks and prayer from all of us here today - back to those who were serving in 1917, in recognition and appreciation for their service and their sacrifice in the War That Changed the World!----more----

Noël: Holy Night

Cantique de Noël

The night before Christmas

Hark! The herald angels sing. [Mendelssohn (Hymn tune)]

The mistletoe bough

The song of ages

Jest 'fore Christmas

It came upon the midnight clear

Christmas Eve. a fantasie on old German Christmas carols

Home For Christmas - from A silent Night: A WWI Memorial in Song

God rest you, merry gentlemen

Ring out, wild bells

No candle was there and no fire

O come, all ye faithful. [Adeste fideles]

Old Jim's Christmas hymn

Christmas, Christmas, blessed, blessed day

Joy to the world, our Lord is born today

We three kings of Orient are

Flora's holiday. song cycle

March of the toys. Babes in Toyland [Babes in Toyland. March of the toys]

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - This Holiday week, we have a special episode for you. We have compiled a one-hour collection of WWI era holiday music. It includes popular christmas music of the time, including a wonderful live recording of the fabulous Caruso singing an italian version of Oh Holy Night, even a modern day rendition of I’ll be home for Christmas from the contemporary WWI musicians, Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan.

We invite you to play the podcast during this special time for a WWI holiday ambiance,  in memory of those who spent Christmas 1917 apart from their loved ones! My wife Kathy and I wrapped presents with the compilation as background and it was really lovely.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission our founding sponsor, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and we here at World War 1 Centennial News wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.

And to start us off for this Holiday episode Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben - Chief of Navy Chaplains, is joining us to send a few words of holiday hope, greeting and cheer back to 1917 to all of the men and women -- serving at this consequential and decisive moment in our nation’s history.

Please join her with your thoughts and good wishes, as Chaplain Kibben sends our words of thanks and prayer from all of us here today - back to them in 1917, in recognition and appreciation for their service and their sacrifice in the War That Changed the World!

Chaplain Kibben:

[ Recorded segment]

[MUSIC - SEE PLAYLIST ABOVE]

Thank you for having joined us for our WW1 Centennial News holiday special.

Thanks to Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben, Chief of Navy Chaplains, Musicians John Brancy and Pete Dugan, whose song “Home for Christmas” was included in this mix. You can learn more about them, their music and how to book them for the coming year by visiting their website at  a silent night dot com or by visiting the link in the podcast notes.

Happy Holidays to all of you in 2017 and 1917 from Katherine Akey our show’s line producer, Eric Marr - research and from me, Theo Mayer your host.

[pause}

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

Thank you to the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

This podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

On  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

[MUSIC]

Thank you.

• The Role of Coal in WWI America - Dr. Sean Adams | @ 03:00

& More....

----more----

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 December 15th, 2017. This is episode #50 and our guests this week include:

• Dr. Sean Adams, on the role of coal in America during WW1

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]

The Official Bulletin is the government daily War Gazette - which you can read yourself on our website like a daily paper at ww1cc.org/bulletin - with each issue being re-published on the centennial of its original publication date…. It is an awesome primary information resource for you nerds, history buffs and teachers… and of course for us at WW1 Centennial news!

Well ever since it started publishing in May, we have been seeing nearly daily and certainly weekly articles about COAL… Yes.. COAL.

The availability, the industry, the pricing, the mining, the transportation, the application… Coal keeps coming up in our editorial meetings.

Our instinct says that this is a strategically important WWI subject - like airplanes, suffrage, the draft and food - but as we attack the subject, we keep feeling that the articles we are reading don't really get down to the strategic issues about Coal in WWI.

We just keep seeing hints and snippets.. Like the related nationalization of the railroads and the effect on coal mining, or the nationalization of shipbuilding which leads to the decision to build a vast fleet of coal burning instead of oil burning merchant ships… and on and on…

What we need… we reasoned… is a coal historian! Well, it turns out the world is NOT full of coal historians!

But Katherine, bless her, has found Dr. Sean Adams who is joining us today - as soon as we jump into our wayback machine and roll back to the second week of December, 1917 to see how coal plays into the war that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

[MUSIC TRANSITION]

It's the second week of December 1917 - and it’s REALLY cold! This winter of 1917 is still considered one of the coldest on record for most of the Eastern seaboard and beyond.

A giant blizzard is whipping through the North East - and as you’ll learn later - it has some pretty harsh effects on the Halifax Harbor explosion.

One of the main sources for staying warm in this bitterly cold winter is….

Well - COAL! And it is being rationed.

We are being joined here in 1917 by Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Welcome Dr. Adams!

[exchange greetings]

Dr. Adams - as we mentioned in our setup - it seems like coal, it’s mining, transportation and use in this moment in American history is seen as a pretty strategically important issue…  what IS coal’s role in WW1 America?

[Dr. Adams talks - 5-8 minutes]

Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His most recent book is - Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in 19th Century America.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Before we move on with the show, we want to give you a little heads up on our episodes for the next few week.

Next week - for our Holiday Episode #51, we have a special treat for you. We are producing a 1917 vintage Holiday Mixtape! The entire episode is designed to provide you a wonderful “period holiday mood ambiance” - featuring the popular holiday music from 1917 and a special message from the 26th chief of Chaplains of the US Navy - Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben (delivered from today to all Americans in uniform in 1917!)

The following week is our New Year’s Episode #52, can you believe it!! 52 episodes in the can! - anyway - we will be replaying our favorite segments from 2017/1917 in a content collage that should be a lot of fun!

January 2018: Then we roll into January with our first episode of 2018 coming out around January 5th -

We are going to kick off the year by putting 1917 into perspective and taking a high level look forward into what to expect through 1918.

It is going to be a very dynamic year and we will be keeping you up to date on WW1 Centenial News Then - what was happening 100 years ago - and WW1 Centennial News NOW - what is happening today to commemorate the war the changed the world.

[SOUND EFFECT]

[Mike Shuster]

In Nova scotia two ships collide resulting in one of the largest man-made explosions in human history - devastating the city with damage and loss of life on a terrible scale. Her to tell us the story is Mike shuster former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog.

LINK:

http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/10/a-tremendous-explosion-in-canadian-harbor/

[SOUND EFFECT]

GO TO REMEMBERING VETERANS SECTION

The Great War Channel on Youtube have been producing videos about WW1 since 2014.. And from a more european perspective.

Here is Indy Nidel - the host of the Great War Channel.

Great War Recording of Indy:

Hi WW1 Centennial News Listeners - I’m Indy Neidell, host of the Great War Channel on Youtube. Fighting continues as 1917 comes to a close, marking the end of another year of mass devastation. Follow the action as we enter 1918, the fourth and final year of the war by subscribing to The Great War on Youtube and follow us on Facebook.

This week’s new episodes include:

• Halifax Explosion and  Peace in the East
  

• Father Victory - George Clemenceau
  

• The Road to Independence - Finland in WW1

Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube.

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

It is time to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

In commission news, yesterday  Commander Zoe Dunning, USN (Ret.) was sworn in as the newest member of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. The swearing in ceremony took place at the commission’s headquarter in Washington DC.

So how are these commissioners picked anyhow?

Well Commissioner Dunning for example, was nominated by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The law that established the commission provided that the twelve members of the Centennial Commission - who serve without pay - by the way - are nominated by the President of the United States, the members of the U.S. Senate, the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and by the nation's two largest veteran service organizations, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Thank you for taking on the challenge - and welcome Commissioner Dunning!

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3721-dunning-named-to-u-s-world-war-i-centennial-commission.html

This week in our Remembering Veterans segment -- Gold Star Mothers are women who have lost a child in the service to our nation. The  name comes from the WWI custom of families hanging a banner called a service flag in the windows of their homes. The service flag had a star for each family member serving with each member represented by a blue star, except those who had lost their lives in service - who are represented by a gold star.

More than a decade after the war ended, a unique and incredible event took place: Gold Star mothers and wives traveled across the Atlantic to visit the battlefields of Europe and the graves of their fallen family members.

Next summer, that journey will be retraced by a special cruise and tour, and here to tell us more about it is Candy Martin, the Immediate Past National President of American Gold Star Mothers --- who is herself a Gold Star Mother, having lost her son 1st Lieutenant Thomas Martin, US Army, on October 14, 2007 in Iraq and herself served 38 years in the Army.

Welcome, Candy

[greetings]

[Candy - First off, What is the mission of the American Gold Star Mothers organization?]

[So in the 1930’a there was the Gold Star Pilgrimage…  Who organized it and what was it?]

[Alright - so now you are organizing a centennial tour to revisit europe and retrace that journey.. Tell us about it please.]

[If I am interested in participating in the tour or learning more - what should I do?]

Candy Martin - a Gold Star mother, serving the organization and organizing the 2018 Gold Star Pilgrimages and Poppies Tour - learn more by following the links in the podcast notes.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimagesAndPoppies/

African American Gold Star Mothers in WWI

There is also a poignant article about African American Gold Star mothers in the archives of our WWrite blog, titled “On a Boat Alone: African American Wives Post WWI”. Head to ww1cc.org/wwrite to read about the experience of African American families as they participated -- segregated -- in the Gold Star pilgrimages. The link is in the podcast notes.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/1699-on-a-boat-alone-african-american-wives-post-wwi.html

And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war  ---

Getting on instant messenger, sending a text or simply meeting up with a friend at a coffee shop-- there are many ways to have a chat with a friend, a quick and light catch up conversation. But chatting with friends has its origins in a darker, and definitely less comfortable, place than you may think--

A chat in the trenches of WWI was another name for a louse,

These horrid and itchy pests filled your clothes and got all over you including into your hair ---

and chatting was the act of picking lice off yourself --- and in a very socially companionable - very monkey - ape -Jane Goodall reminiscent vision - helping to groom your companions.

This was a really important daily task that could fill hours of the day-- something soldier’s could do to pass the time as they helped comrades pick lice - was to engage in small talk -

Hence to the term chatting! - Who knew!!!

So today chatting live or online, chat rooms, and social chats continue with great vigor but -- with fewer lice.

See the podcast notes to learn more!

link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563

7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz

In Education news - This week a new issue of Understanding the Great War newsletter came it. This is our official Education Resource newsletter, published every two months. Each issue focuses on a particular theme, providing educators and students with a robust selection of resources from a wide range of sources. Issue # 10 addresses “Political Consequences & Revolutions“

The issue includes articles about the Russian Revolution, the Arab Revolt, the French Mutinies of 1917 and the Easter RIsing in Ireland. The publication is put together by the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Follow the link in the podcast notes to subscribe to a great WW1 educational resource and to read past editions!

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/educate-home.html

[SOUND EFFECT

Portland, ME

Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment

about the $200,000 matching grant challenge

to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials.

As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’

This week we are profiling the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project in Portland, Maine -- One of the first 50 grant awardees.

With us tell us about the project is Brandon Mazer, the project coordinator for the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project and President of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade

Welcome Brandon!

[exchange greetings]

[Brandon in your grant application you list the memorial as - quote - The Jacob Cousins Memorial is a key WWI artifact in the history of the Jewish

community in southern Maine.. Which leads to the question - who is Jacob?]

[Brandon - can you tell us about the memorial and the restoration plans for it?]

[What has been your community and Veteran service organization involvement in the project?]

[Brandon - Are you planning a rededication this coming year?]

Thank you so much for taking on this project for your community - congratulations on being selected as a WW1 Centennial Memorial!

Brandon Mazer, the project coordinator for the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project and President of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade.

If YOU have a local WWI memorial project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program!

Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials

https://easternpromenade.org/jacob-cousin-renovation-project

[SOUND EFFECT]

Sgt Stubby

For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week,  we’re excited to announce the release of a new teaser trailer for the upcoming film SGT Stubby: An American Hero.

The animated film is based on the remarkable true story of the 26th "Yankee" Division's legendary mascot, SGT Stubby, a stray dog who became a hero of World War I. The film features the voices of actors Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu, and Logan Lerman, among others.

The movie will be in theaters nationwide on April 13th 2018.  I’m really looking forward to it - it’s a great opportunity to tell a wonderful WWI story to our younger generation - but like all great animated films today - it promises to be a genuine treat for the grownups too!

Follow the link in the podcast notes to watch the trailer and to read an interview with the film's writer/producer, Richard Lanni on our website.

Link:https://www.facebook.com/StubbyMovie/videos/1951793608403549/

http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3840-new-trailer-released-for-the-sgt-stubby-movie.html

Horse Heroes web site by BrookeUSA

In articles and posts - this week we have launched a wonderful new web section all about HORSE HEROES! It is the new site from Brooke USA at ww1cc.org/horses - easy to remember -

With us to tell us more about it is Jo Ellen Hayden, Special Project Volunteer for BrookeUSA Horse Heroes

Welcome, Jo Ellen!

[greetings]

[Joe Ellen - we have had Brooke USA on the show earlier this year in episode #13, but could you quickly remind our listeners about the origins of Brooke USA? ]

[The new website at ww1cc.org/horses is one of the most in-dept publishing partner sites we have -- what kinds of content can people find there?]

[You have put untold hours into it - What surprised you the most as you were putting the site together?]

Jo Ellen Hayden is a Special Project Volunteer for BrookeUSA Horse Heroes, check out the new site about horses and mules in WWI at ww1cc.org/horses. We also put in a link to our previous interview with Brooke USA’s Cindy Rullman in the podcast notes.

Link: www.ww1cc.org/horses

https://www.brookeusa.org/

http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2106-ww1-centennial-news-episode-13-3-29-2017.html

US Army Nurse's WWI bracelet is returned

More from our Articles and posts segment - in our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - from the news section there is a story of a bracelet’s amazing journey over the last century.

The bracelet belonged to an Irish woman serving with the US Army Nurse Corps in France during World War I

It was recently returned to her relatives in Ireland. The bracelet was found fifteen years ago by an eight-year-old boy in a schoolyard in northeastern France.

Returning the bracelet led to a long, and ultimately successful search for the descendants of its original owner.

Click here to read more about the quest, whose story is so interesting that it  spawned a documentary film in France.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3839-army-nurse-s-wwi-bracelet-returned-after-long-search.html

This week In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s posts reads “The Balfour Declaration: An Alternative History”

If you love “alternate history” contemplations - you’ll like this a lot…

What if there had been no Balfour Declaration? What would the alternative history look like? These are questions that writer, Simone Zelitch, author of the novel, Judenstaat, explores in this week's WWrite blog. Don't miss this fascinating glimpse at an alternate past and different future...

Read the post at ww1cc.org/WWRITE or follow the link in the podcast notes.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3844-the-balfour-declaration-an-alternative-history.html

www.ww1cc.org/wwrite

And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick to tell us about this week?

Hi Theo!

Signal Corps Photographers

We had some great content come through our Twitter feed this week, which you can follow at the handle @ww1cc. I particularly enjoyed an image from the twitter account 100ans US en Haute Marne-- a photograph of some US Signal Corps photographers. Not only is their equipment very cool -- especially if youre a camera enthusiast-- but their service produced some of the most incredible images of the war.

During World War I the Signal Corps was responsible for communications.  However, the Signal Corps had other responsibilities during the war, such as army aviation (until May 1918) and photography.  The Photographic Section of the Signal Corps was established in June 1917, and it was responsible for the U.S. Army’s official ground and aerial photography of World War I.

You can view a collection of the Signal Corps’ ww1 photography, and the photo from twitter, by following the links in the podcast notes.

link:https://twitter.com/100ansHM/status/940523627807756288

http://cdm16635.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p16635coll16!p16635coll22/order/title/page/1

Aussie Rifles

Also from Twitter, an image of an interesting invention -- and a great example of necessity breeding innovation -- the drip rifle.

During the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Allied forces had to keep up the appearance of fully inhabited trenches, despite their numbers dwindling with each passing night as soldiers were evacuated under the cover of darkness. In order to keep up the ruse, ANZAC soldiers developed the drip rifle -- a rifle that would self-fire, thereby keeping the turks convinced that the abandoned trenches were still occupied.

In this particular image, two kerosene tins were placed one above the other, the top one full of water and the bottom one with the trigger string attached to it, empty. At the last minute, small holes would be punched in the upper tin; water would trickle into the lower one, and the rifle would fire as soon as the lower tin had become sufficiently heavy. Visit the links in the podcast notes to learn more about variations of drip rifles--and how they saved the allied retreat at Gallipoli.

And that’s it this week for the Buzz!

link:https://twitter.com/AWMemorial/status/938604024647028736

https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/gallipoli/drip_rifle

Thank you for joining us again for--  WW1 Centennial News for the second `week of December, 1917 and 2017

We want to thank our guests...

• Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville

Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research…

And I am Theo Mayer - your host.

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Your listening to this podcast is a part of that…. Thank you!

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/horses - discover the legacy of our horse heroes from WWI courtesy of Brooke USA.

We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget

to share the stories

you are hearing here today

about the war that changed the world!

[music]

Well - now we've done it! I was sitting there chatting with some of my friends who kept slapping my hand away and looking at me funny while I was trying to pick through their hair! - clearly they are not listeners.

So long!

• The Role of Coal in WWI America - Dr. Sean Adams | @ 03:00

& More....

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 December 15th, 2017. This is episode #50 and our guests this week include:

• Dr. Sean Adams, on the role of coal in America during WW1

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]

The Official Bulletin is the government daily War Gazette - which you can read yourself on our website like a daily paper at ww1cc.org/bulletin - with each issue being re-published on the centennial of its original publication date…. It is an awesome primary information resource for you nerds, history buffs and teachers… and of course for us at WW1 Centennial news!

Well ever since it started publishing in May, we have been seeing nearly daily and certainly weekly articles about COAL… Yes.. COAL.

The availability, the industry, the pricing, the mining, the transp

• The African American saga in WW1 @ | 01:30

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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.

Before we get going - we’d like to send our thoughts and warm wishes to all the people of southern california who are experiencing the devastation of fires raging through your communities. Our thoughts are with you.

Today is December 6th, 2017. Our guests this week include:

• Mike Shuster, updating us on events in the middle east   

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]

The African American saga in World War 1 is both inspiring and terrible …

Less than a generation after the civil war, this is a time where black american men and women are considered second class citizens at best.

Chad Williams is the chair of the African & Afro-American Studies Department at Brandeis University and author of

“Torchbearers of Democracy: African-American Soldiers in the

World War I Era,”. quote:

"In many ways, World War I marked the beginning of the modern civil rights movement for African-Americans. Their service in the military had dramatic implications for African-Americans. Black soldiers faced systemic racial discrimination in the army and endured virulent hostility on returning to their homes at the end of the war. At the same time, service in the army empowered soldiers to demand their individual rights as American citizens and laid the groundwork for the future movement for racial justice."

So…  let's jump into our wayback machine and learn more about the African American experience in the war that changed the world!

[MUSIC TRANSITION]

It's the first week of December 1917 - Just a note to our audience - that the language of the times, which we have kept in our reports, refers to African Americans as negroes and colored.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline: December 4, 197

A headline in the New York times reads

ARMY IS FAIR TO NEGROES - Policy of War Department is to discourage race discrimination.

The article reads -

Secretary of War Baker today announced that he had ordered an investigation of the allegation that there had been discrimination against negro Draftees.

Quote: "As you know, it has been my policy to discourage discrimination against any persons by reason of their race. This policy has been adopted not merely as an act of justice to safeguard the institution which we are now enagaged in defending -  and which any racial disorder must endanger.

The charges stem from accusations that the military is not allowing negro units into combat roles, but relegating them to Service Battalions for labor jobs.

And there is a lot of truth to it.

Racism is as endemic in the armed forces as it is in the rest of America at this time.

Southern Democrats try to block negroes from inclusion in the draft, few colored men served in the Navy and none in the Marine Corps, and the Army’s four segregated units—the 24th and 25th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments are assigned guard duty on the Mexican border and never go abroad. African Americans comprised 13 percent of active-duty military manpower, but make up only seven-tenths of 1 percent of the officers.

Around 200,000 African Americans are deployed to Europe and serve with distinction in the AEF - the American Expeditionary Forces - as well as with the French Army.

While, as per the complaints, the vast majority of these troops are relegated to Services of Supplies (SOS) units and labor battalions, some 40,000 soldiers see combat in two new black units, the Ninety-second and Ninety-third Divisions.

Fighting alongside the French, the Ninety-third serves heroically throughout the war and experiences greater acceptance and more equal treatment than that found in the U.S. Army.

The division's 369th Infantry Regiment, "the Harlem Hellfighters," spend more than six months on the front lines — longer than any other American unit — in part because General Pershing, contrary to his policy of having American soldiers under American Command, gives the 369th to French commanders who take them to the front immediately -  bypassing much of the training the other combat soldiers undergo...

Regardless.. the 369th distinguishes itself as an awesome fighting force that never surrenders an inch of Allied territory nor loses a single soldier through capture.

From this regiment alone, 171 officers and men receive either Croix de Guerre or Legions of Merit from the French government.

The sacrifice of African American soldiers such as these certainly did not end racism at home or abroad, but it showed the world that their patriotism and heroism unquestioningly matches that of their white counterparts in the war that changed the world!

Links:

Sources:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02EFDD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF

https://armyhistory.org/fighting-for-respect-african-american-soldiers-in-wwi/

http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html

http://time.com/4681227/great-war-clip-black-history-month/

https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart7.html

http://www.brandeis.edu/now/2014/july/worldwar.html

http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/0508/index.jsp

http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/african-americans-in-combat/

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline December 7

The headline in the NY Times reads:

PRESIDENT SIGNS DECLARATION OF WAR ON AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AFTER CONGRESS ACTS WITH ONLY ONE DISSENTING VOTE

The story reads:

The United States went to war against Austria-Hungary at 5:03 this afternoon when President Wilson approved a joint resolution, adopted by congress, declaring a state of war exists!

Wait a minute… I thought we did that on April 6!??

Well that is what makes this such an interesting event. On April 6, 2017 we declared war on Germany… but not the other axis powers. Though we declared Austria Hungary an ENEMY through the “Trading with the enemy act of 1917” which we told you about in episode 42… we did not formally declare war on them until 100 years ago this week.

Links:http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9906E4DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9903E1DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A02E1DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=940DE0DC1E3AE433A2575BC0A9649D946696D6CF

[SOUND EFFECT]

Do you remember the story from last week about the 11th engineers who were caught in a German counter attack during the battle of Cambrai - and went at it with shovels, pick axes and wrenches because they were engineers not set up as combatants - well - this week the story has some interesting fallout as the French, the Engineers and the combat troops each are featured in an article in the NY times with a Rashomon style point of view on the issue.

First the French…

Dateline December 3, 1917

Headline: France gives high praise to our engineers at cambrai

The story reads:

“There is not a single person who saw them at work who does not render warm praise to the coolness, discipline, and courage of these improvised combatants”

From the seemingly - slightly jealous Pershing troops still waiting and ready to fight….

[SOUND EFFECT]

Headline: Pershing’s troops envy the Engineers

And the story includes:

An infantry Sergeant remarked: ‘We stay in these muddy trenches for a spell and let Fritz shoot his artillery at us and have never really had a chance to use our rifles except to snipe and pot at Fritz out in No Man’s Land on dark nights. Meanwhile - These railroaders managed to run their trains right into a good, thick scrap, and if this isn’t luck, I don’t know what it is.’”

And from the somewhat still astounded engineers

[SOUND EFFECT]

Headline: Engineers jest over first battle

In the story they describe the chaos of sudden, unexpected action,

“‘I hadn’t a steel hat handy”

‘so i picked up a petrol tin and put that on my head, and thought it might be better than nothing.”

The  journalist writes, “They are a splendid body of men,”

“Hard, keen and good humored, who made a joke of their thrilling adventure and of their present danger.”

And from another soldier, “‘It was the doggonedest experience I ever had, and a mighty close call!’

And that’s how it was this week, one hundred years ago in the war that changed the world!

Links

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9806E4DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9907E0DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B04E3DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF

[SOUND EFFECT]

Jerusalem is a city with massive significance to all the major religions of the world - Christians, Jews and Muslims. So as 1917 comes to a close, the British determine that they want to - even need to - win the city from the Ottoman Turks - and they wanted to do it before Christmas! They felt that the  psychological impact was desperately needed in these otherwise dark days.

Here to tell us about the campaign is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog.

[Mike Shuster]

Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog.

We also came across a very good 7 minute documentary clip about these event in the middle east 100 years ago this week - you’ll find it on Youtube called “Blood & Oil: Jerusalem Falls”  by Janson Media. We have included the link to it in the podcast notes

LINK:

http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/03/ottomans-surrender-jerusalem/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qApUFVHREo

[SOUND EFFECT]

The Millionaire’s Unit FILM

And speaking of documentaries -  in a special War in the Sky segment this week, we are speaking with Darroch Greer, co-producer and director of multiple films on aviation in World War One, including the recently released The Millionaire’s Unit and the upcoming documentary The Lafayette Escadrille.

Welcome, Darroch!

[greetings]

[Darroch, we recently had the author of the Millionaire’s Unit book on the show - Marc Wortman. How did you translate the book into a documentary?]

[We had a lot of interest from our listeners after Marc was on - how can people see the documentary? [the dvd is being released shortly and includes special other shorts]

[Your next project sounds great - the Lafayette Escadrille… Probably one of the most interesting pack of adventurers and daredevils of the 20th century - can you give out an overview?]

[So this week, is the in fact, the centennial of the Lafayette Escadrille getting its orders releasing its American pilots from the French Military - in preparation for transferring them to the US forces-- how did that transition go and what role did these guys play in the new US Army Air Service?]

[Darroch - When can we see a trailer and when does the film come out?  ]

[Will you come back and visit us here when the film publishes?]

[goodbyes/thanks]

Darroch Greer is the producer and director on documentary films about the WWI air war. You can find links to his documentaries -- The Millionaire’s Unit and The Lafayette Escadrille in the podcast notes.

Links:http://www.millionairesunit.org/

http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/darroch-greer-the-millionaires-unit.html

http://humanusdocumentaryfilms.org/portfolio/the-lafayette-escadrille/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOtGBfAMotE

http://thelafayetteescadrille.org

For weekly videos about WWI  - join host Indy Neidell at the Great War Channel on Youtube.  

The episodes this week include:

• Invasions, Naval Battles and German Raiders - WW1 in the Pacific

Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube.

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

It is time to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

The holiday shopping season is here and as you shop to bring cheer to you and yours --- you can also bring a little cheer to us with AmazonSmile.

If you designate United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars (USFCWW) as your charity on smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate ½ a percent of everything you spend on Amazon to us.

It costs you nothing and it helps us a lot! So thank you… just go to Smile.Amazon.com and remember the US Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars

or even easier -- just follow the link in the podcast notes!

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/3723

http://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-3321814

And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war  ---

When people think WWI the image that comes to mind for many is barb wire and trenches.

Life at ground level generally toxic and lethal. So, soldiers spent much of their time living in the ground.

Besides the word Trenches, other related words also came into common use - several of which are still with us today.

Fox hole, Dug Out and Cubby Hole are three of them!

The history of Fox Hole and Dug Out are pretty obvious and the term Cubby was probably derived from the old english word cub - for shed, coop or hutch

Today we still have dugouts in baseball and cubbyholes in the office - terms that got popular 100 years ago when the motto was “get down, dig in and stash yourself in a hole”.

See the podcast notes to learn more!

link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563

[SOUND EFFECT

Carmel-by-the-sea, CA 100 cities

Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment

about the $200,000 matching grant challenge

to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials.

As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’

This week we are profiling the World War I Memorial Arch in Carmel-by-the-sea California-- One of the first 50 grant awardees.

with us tell us about the project is Ian Martin, a resident of Carmel and a member of the Carmel Patriots, the American Legion Post 512's non-veteran volunteer organization.

Welcome Ian!

[exchange greetings]

[Ian, the Carmel By the Sea memorial was designed by a renown resident of the city Charles Greene - can you tell us a little about him and his decision to build this really beautiful arch?]

[The arch is made out of sandstone - instead of granite - and I understand that this has posed some challenges in restoration. Why and What are those? ]

[How did you Patriots and American Legion Post 512 get involved in this restoration?]

[Are you planning a rededication?]

Ian - Thank you and congratulation to your team for getting this incredible WWI memorial designated as a WWI Centennial Memorial!

Ian Martin, a resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea and a member of the Carmel Patriots, the American Legion Post 512's non-veteran volunteer organization

If you have a local WWI memorial project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program!

Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials

https://www.facebook.com/events/438048213017354/

[SOUND EFFECT]

The American in Paris

For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Antony Easton, director of the documentary film The American in Paris-- which tells the story of the L’hopital Americain during the course of the great war.

Welcome Antony!

[greetings]

[So Antony, can you give us a brief introduction to the American Hospital in Paris - which got involved in the war in 1914, three years before America declared war?]

[Antony - give us an overview of the film and how you got involved in it?]

[Here is a clip from the trailer…]

[Run clip]

[In the trailer, it mentions that the French are recognizing the service of the hospital more and more in recent years-- Why is that? ]

[You recently premiered the documentary in both the US and in France? Do you think it is seen differently in each country?]

[So how can I see the film?]

Thank you Antony.

[thanks and goodbye]

That was Antony Easton--director of the documentary film The American in Paris. Learn more at the links in the podcast notes.

Link:https://vimeo.com/231687152

http://frenchculture.org/events/6473-americans-paris

Our website at WW1cc.org is the home and archive for lots of things WW1 - with over 3700 articles on WWI, 2,000 locations listed in our map database and nearly 1400 WWI related events in our national events register - its a great place to explore and new articles are published weekly.

This week we will highly a few of them for you.

Brooke Kroeger interview

First from ww1cc.org/news--

A remarkable new book has appeared on the World War I scene, one that traces the origins of the Women's Suffrage movement in America to the war effort 100 years ago.

It explores why, a group of prominent and influential men in New York City, and beyond, came together to help women gain the right to vote.

Brooke Kroeger is the author. She is a journalist, author of five books, a professor of journalism at

the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and director of the Global and Joint Program Studies, which she founded in 2007.

You can read the interview where she speaks about this book, and what she found in writing it, by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3772-four-questions-for-brooke-kroeger.html

Marcelino Serna

Next is a story about Mexican-born Marcelino Serna.

When the U.S. entered World War One in 1917, it is estimated that roughly 500,000 people who joined the United States armed services were immigrants. According to the National Park Service, this amounted to 18 percent of U.S. troops.

One of these was a Mexican-born, illegal immigrant named Marcelino Serna, who volunteered to join the US Army and was the first Mexican American to collect a Distinguished Service Cross.

Read more about the heroism and the man who returned from ‘Over There” as the most highly-decorated Texan soldier to serve in World War I by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the link in the podcast notes.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3779-marcelino-serna-most-decorated-texan-of-world-war-one.html

In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s posts reads “Soon, All Too Soon”

When British musicians Patricia Hammond and Matt Redman found and performed German sheet music written by a soldier killed in Verdun, they had no idea the song, "Soon, Too Soon," would also lead to the discovery of the composer's body, which had been buried in an unmarked grave in France's Meuse-Argonne region.

Read about the captivating hunt for a man behind a melody.

Here is a clip from the song performed by Patricia Hammond and Matt Redman

[run clip]

The post including a video are at ww1cc.org/WWRITE or follow the link in the podcast notes.

Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3783-soon-all-too-soon.html

www.ww1cc.org/wwrite

And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick to tell us about?

Hi Theo!

Iron Harvest

This week, we shared an article from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Iron Harvest. It is estimated that more than a billion shells were fired during the First World War, and that as many as 30 percent of those failed to explode. Specialty bomb-disposal units in France and Belgium collect and defuse the unexploded ordinances, which are often found by farmers as they do their work. These local farmers are the ones who coined the name Iron Harvest, as they come across literal tonnes of shells every year. It’s estimated that it will take another 500 years of the Iron Harvest before the area is fully safe again. Read more about this constant reminder of the war, and watch a video of the disposal units in action, by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:https://www.cwgc.org/learn/news-and-events/news/2017/11/28/16/47/the-iron-harvest-a-warning-from-history

Women Photographers

Finally this week, a story close to my heart. Hyperallergic put out a piece this week which we shared on facebook featuring and reviewing a new exhibition at Impressions Gallery in Bradford, England. The show is titled No Man’s Land: Women’s Photography and the First World War and features the work of some very talented and brave women photographers who served during the conflict. Some of the artists included served as official photographers, while others photographed while serving as nurses or in other auxiliary roles. One photographer was a motorcycle and ambulance driver who volunteered at 18 and whose photos range from graphic and distressing to coy and humorous. Three contemporary artists’ work is shown as well, complimenting the work done by the women a century ago. Follow the link in the podcast notes to see some of the images and to read the stories of the photographers.

And that’s it this week for the Buzz!

link:https://hyperallergic.com/410238/no-mans-land-women-photographers-wwi-impressions-gallery/

Thank you for having listened to WW1 Centennial News for the first week of December, 1917 and 2017

We want to thank our guests...

• Mike Shuster from the great war project blog,   

Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research…

And I am Theo Mayer - your host.

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Your listening to this podcast is a part of that…. Thank you!

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/subscribe - where you can subscribe to our various communications products including our weekly newsletter - the Dispatch, the Education newsletter and of course this podcast if you happen not to be a regular subscriber.

We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget

to share the stories

you are hearing here today

about the war that changed the world!

[music]

I am going to climb into my cubby and pull the blankets over my head!

So long!

• Thanksgiving reflections from 1917 @ | 01:15

Image Credit: A work-in-progress image of a Yurok Native Army soldier drawn by Rahsan Ekedal for the upcoming Graphic Novel "Soldiers Unknown" by Chag Lowry

• ----more----

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 29th, 2017. Our guests this week include:

• Mike Shuster from the great war project blog,   

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]

It is sometimes difficult in our media overloaded, multi-faceted, social and general media inundated world --- not be cynical - but in 1917 many people genuinely believed that they were answering a higher calling.

That makes Thanksgiving 1917,  100 years ago this past week an interesting moment of reflection for millions of Americans both within our nation and those who find themselves “over there”.

We are going look at this -  plus a series of other stories that occur as the American Military finds itself on the precipice of major battle action.

So let’s jump into our wayback machine and see what was happening 100 years ago this week in the War that Changed the World.

World War One THEN

100 Year Ago This Week

[MUSIC TRANSITION]

Thanksgiving 1917 - at home, President Wilson uses the Official Bulletin - the government’s daily war gazette published by George Creel the head of America’s propaganda machine - to get a short statement from each member  of his cabinet -

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline, November 28, 1917

The masthead of the Official Bulletin reads:

Cheering Thanksgiving Messages to Americans at Home

And Fighting Forces Abroad From the President’s Cabinet Are in This Issue

It starts with an excerpt from President Wilson’s Thanksgiving Proclamation!

On this day of the revelation of our duty not only to defend our own rights as a nation but to defend also the rights of free men throughout the world, we are filled with the resolution and spirit of united action.

We should especially thank God that in such circumstances, in the midst of the greatest enterprise the spirits of men have ever entered upon, we have, if we but observe a reasonable and practicable economy, abundance with which to supply the needs of those associated with us as well as our own.—

From Robert Lansing - Secretary of State

If we measured our national blessings by the materialistic standard of physical comfort and prosperity, which has been in recent years so potent in our thought as a people, the observance of Thanksgiving Day this year might seem almost a mockery, for we are engaged in the most destructive and terrible war of all times. But a new conception of national blessings has come to the American people, a conception in which the spiritual is exalted above the material, in which the life of the Nation is placed above the life of the individual. No greater blessing could have come to the Republic than this awakening to the fact that patriotism is more to be prized than wealth.

From William McAdoo Secretary of the Treasury

For the first time in more than fifty years Thanksgiving

Day finds America at war. In this chaos of civilization the power of America was needed to tip the scales in favor of freedom and democracy as against the enslavement of the world which would inevitably follow the triumph of military despotism. Terrible as war is, and fearful as are the sacrifices it entails, nothing is comparable to freedom and liberty.

From Newton D. Baker - Secretary of War

I am glad to take advantage of the opportunity which the OFFICIAL BULLETIN gives to send a word of appreciation and good cheer from the men of the War Department who are in this country to the men who are now in France. We are striving our hardest to send them, promptly and plentifully, the material things they need  - as they take their stand by the side of the gallant men who, for so long, have been holding the battle front for a world -  that shall look forward and not look backward.

From Thomas Gregory - the Attorney General

Nearly a century and a half ago our forefathers, hungry and poorly fed, clothed, disciplined, and armed, --- gave, when needed, their all --- for liberty to live undefiled by license that men are free and self governed. They dreamed and labored, so that real freedom and free institutions were born. To-day you battle that these principles do not die --- but may live on and reach untold millions - who now live under the blight of despots.

From Albert Burleson - Postmaster General

Our Thanksgiving holiday is like many other good things—of New England origin.

It came into national use during the Civil War. The people of the United States in the celebration of this festival now have special cause for returning thanks to the Almighty Ruler of the universe for the many blessings He has showered upon us.

While Europe, Asia, and Africa are ravaged by war, no foe has invaded our country --- our cities have not been destroyed,

and our people go about their business and live in peace, in plenty, and in security.

After every honorable effort had been exhausted to avoid it --- we were thrust into the world's war. In the name of allied nations we have entered into the contest. We have met the crisis unselfishly, patriotically, and nobly. Today, our sons, true to the traditions, ideals, and standards of their heroic fathers are mustering on the battlefields of Europe.

From Josephus Daniels - Secretary of the Navy

We are grateful to have discovered what some doubted before the war:

1. That we have many youthful Nathan Hales in this

generation --- who regret that they have only one life to give for

their country. -

1. That the spirit of “Don't give up the ship” actuating

men in the Navy to-day gives us many Lawrences who meet

death with little thought of self but deep concern for their

country.

1. That the people of the United States are justified in

their faith in the soldiers and sailors and marines who are of the same stuff as the men whose courage made Bunker Hill and King's Mountain and Yorktown and Lake Champlain meccas of patriotism.

1. That all America is mobilized and all true Americans have highly resolved to make every sacrifice that may be demanded for the sway of liberty and freedom in the world, where neither the autocracy of crowned heads nor entrenched privilege can deny the right of all men to govern themselves.

From Franklin Lane - Secretary of the interior

I cannot give thanks for war, nor for the method that men make war, nor for the turning of the minds of men from things constructive to things destructive; but I can give thanks that this is a Nation unashamed; that the spirit of Bunker Hill and Santiago is still quick and aggressive; that men are willing to die that liberty and justice may live; that we are not to see the free peoples of the earth humiliated or crushed; and that Fear is not to master the world.

From William Wilson Secretary of Labor

I have traveled through the most diverse parts of the country and come in contact with every variety of our citizenship

—the rich and the poor, those who have sprung from old English stock, as well as naturalized citizens who have come to us from the different lands of Europe, including the central powers.

In the midst of all this diversity of place and people, behind all differences, I find a common and complete devotion to this country and an unquestioning devotion to the aims of freedom and democracy which are the purposes of this country going to war.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Meanwhile in Europe, the US Army tries to bring a bit of home to the boys.

Dateline: November 29, 1917

Headline: A story from the NY times…

Cooks Prepare Feast For Pershing’s Men - Thanksgiving Dinner Expected to be the Best Ever Service to Army on Foreign Soil.

The story reads:

In every village in France where American troops are stationed, the company cooks started to make cranberry sauce and to lay out great piles of plump turkey, sweet potatoes and everything else that goes to make a real thanksgiving Dinner.

Thanksgiving Day for the American forces will be one of resting, eating and recovering. After the dinner settles there will be real american doings such as football games, in which some american stars who are there will play.

But back to the fighting front...

[SOUND EFFECT]

Early in this month, in Episode 45 we told you the story of a company of American Soldiers who were the first to contact the enemy - they were training in bunkers in a quiet part of the western front. Suddenly Germans attacked, over-ran the positions and took 12 prisoners of war. They also killed 5 and wounded others.

This week, the incident is in the news again as the French Government endeavors to decorate 15 men of this unit.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline November 27th 1917

Headline: From the pages of the New York Times

“French Decorate 15 of our troops… “French War Crosses” conferred on men who met German Trench Raid on November 2… but TOLD NOT TO WEAR MEDALS - Recipients must wait until Congress authorizes them to accept honors from a foreign nation.

Now I see that the follow on of this story offers great insight into the situation on the ground…

After months of waiting - American soldiers finally head to the front early in the month. It’s a quiet area but in the actual war zone…

The Americans are essentially still training when suddenly themselves in an unintended engagement as the Germans attack.

The story in the times includes:

The French General, in referring to the actions of this american company said:

“On the night of November second, this company, which was in the line for the first time, met an extremely violent bombardment, despite which it seized arms and offered such stubborn resistance that the enemy, though numerically superior, was obliged to retire”

[Sound effect]

Also this week -- another group of Yankee Doughboys find themselves “In the Fight” - somewhat unintentionally - during the battle of Cambrai.

The 11th engineers are helping to build the rail system that has been transporting a new power weapon to the front - in preparation for the british Cambrai campaign that was, for the first time make major use  of the tank!

Suddenly near the town of Gouzeaucout, ( GUZ- Oh - COO) the germans counter-attack and the engineers suddenly find themselves in combat.

The following is from an article printed in a UK magazine called "I was there". The author is Major General Seely of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade as he describes the German counter attack at Cambrai around November 30th.

“I have to say that a good many stragglers from the battle gallantly came forward with me. Amongst others we found a curious and most interesting party, American engineers whom we had seen 12 days before, engaged in making a light railway some five miles behind the front line. They were pursuing their peaceful avocations near to Gouzeaucourt ( GUZ- Oh - COO) , which had been close to the front line before our advance on November 21. They belonged to the American 11th Engineers.

Colonel Hoffman was the Regimental Commander and I think Captain Hulsant was commanding the party, when the German advance fell on upon them. Some had rifles with them, in the case of others the rifles were far away, but that made no difference to these gallant Yankees. With spades and pickaxes they fell upon the advancing Germans and although many were knocked out, I am assured that they got the best of it in a hand to hand combat.

It was a brave thing to do, for surrender would have been easy and for once justifiable. When I came home on leave a month later, I gave some account of this at a luncheon, given by Lord Beaverbrook. I do not know if this account has reached America from other sources, but I am glad to put it on record now.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline December 1, 1917

Headline from the story in the New York times reads

Every State now has Militia in France - Not a man lost of those who have sailed from America to the Front

So by November of 1917 - the Americans are mobilized - sent the troops “over there” - have been busy training and helping to build infrastructure - and are beginning to engage the enemy - though not intentionally yet.

None of this is deemed fast enough or big enough by the British who warn that the pace and power projection of the Americans is crucial but lacking 100 years ago this month -  in the War that changed the world .

[SOUND EFFECT]

Tanks were to be a major strategic shift in the planning for the Battle of Cambrai - Nearly 500 were deployed for the campaign - but with some mixed results…

Here to tell us about it is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. The tank is to be the new super weapon in the war - the game changer - but apparently did not come out of the gate quite as planned - tell us about it Mike:

[Mike Shuster]

Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog.

LINK:

http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/19/where-are-the-americans-2/

http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/26/are-tanks-the-answer/

[SOUND EFFECT]

For video about this week in WWI 100 years ago - from a more European perspective - we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube hosted by Indy Neidell.  

Their episodes this week include:

• The End Of Passchendaele

and

• Jagdkommandos - Austria Hungary’s Special Forces

and

• Tank Corps Unleashed - The battle of Cambrai

And finally

• Dropping Bombs on Germany - Indy takes audience questions in an episode of “Out of the Trenches”

Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube.

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

It is time to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

Commission News: Coin Strike and Zoe Dunning

When Commission Chair Robert Dallesandro retired from the US World War One Centennial Commission it left a seat open for a new commissioner.  So last week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi filled that seat with  Commander Zoe Dunning, USN (Ret.) of San Francisco. We welcome Commissioner Dunning who is our first commissioner from the west coast. Read more about Commissioner Dunning by visiting the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/3721

Philadelphia Mint Ceremonial Coin Strike

In more commission news - on Tuesday, November 28th in Philadelphia-- the US Mint hosted a ceremonial coin strike event for the new 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar. A distinguished group who were involved with the coin project were on hand, including Congressional sponsors of the legislation that authorized the coin; Don Everhardt, legendary US Mint coin engraver; Terry Hamby, the Chair of our WWI Centennial Commission; and Gerald York, grandson of WWI hero Sergeant Alvin York.

This commemorative coin -- which will be produced in limited quantities and will be available for purchase from the Mint beginning in January 2018 -- will support our endeavors with surcharge on the sale of each coin that will go directly to help us honor, educate and commemorate the centennial of WWI. You can learn more about it by going to ww1cc.org/coin or by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/3208

And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war  ---

Fashion was not exactly top of mind when you were dodging shells, machine guns and sleeping with rats in the trenches... But those very conditions lead to some pretty iconic and common contemporary fashion items.

Two of these - that are very much with us today - were created to solve very practical issues: first, of course, mud, mud, mud everywhere! So get yourself a trenchcoat!

Mud clung to clothes in the trenches, caking and weighing men down. The traditional serge greatcoats of the French and British armies were impractical in such conditions, so the lighter, more water resistant trench coat was developed.

Secondly, how the heck are you supposed to begin an attack on time - everyone going “over the top” simultaneously when your units are strung out over the horizontal miles of trenches? Audio doesn’t work very far because there are big guns and shells exploding all over the place - There’s no internet or chat - radio and telephone are large clunky things...

The answer: create a fashion forward, trench adapted wrist watch for every officer and commander.. No fumbling with devices in pockets - it’s right there and available -

hey wait a minute - that’s apples new pitch for their generation 3 apple watch…

Well - in any case - 100 years ago - specially with the development of tactics like the creeping barrages, the precise synchronization between the artillery gunners and the infantry advancing just behind the barrage - coordinated timing became essential to a successful campaign.

Though wristwatches existed in some fashion since the 1500s, the watches produced during the War were specially designed for the rigours of trench warfare, with luminous dials and unbreakable glass. Those luminous dials have a whole horror story attached to them as well… check out The Buzz in episode #19 for the story of the Radium Girls.

With a watch on nearly every commander, whole divisions could synchronize their timepieces and be sure to “jump off” all together.

By the end of the war, almost all enlisted men wore a wristwatch, and after they were demobilized, the fashion soon caught on.

Wristwatch and trenchcoat -- words for items with their roots in the trenches! See the podcast notes to learn more!

link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563

7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz

[SOUND EFFECT

Springfield, MA 100 cities

Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment

about the $200,000 matching grant challenge

to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials.

As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’

This week we are profiling the Indian Orchard Godfrey Triangle Project

in Springfield, Massachusetts--

with us tell us about the project are Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice [bowl-reece] from the Godfrey Triangle Restoration Committee.

Welcome!

[exchange greetings]

Eddie  - Tell us a little about your Indian Orchard Heroes of WWI memorial - it’s past, current and future role in  your community.

Eddie - Like so many other 100 year old memorials, your memorial is both a weather worn and unfortunately it was vandalized - tell us about the eagle!

So the memorial is in the city of Springfield Massachusetts - Is Indian Orchard a neighborhood?

Jacqueline-- In March you held a fund raiser with The Indian Orchard American Legion Post 277 Ladies Auxiliary - how did that go?

Your project was submitted in Round 1 and has continued on to Round 2 of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. What would you say to the selection committee about why THIS project should be selected specifically?

Thank you both!

Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice are from the the Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council in Springfield Massachusetts.

If you have a local project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program!

Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials

https://www.facebook.com/events/438048213017354/

In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s post is a perfect dovetail to our weekly 100 Cities/100 Memorials segment--

The title reads “Forgetting to Remember: Making America's Great War Monumental Again”

As the new national WWI Memorial materializes in D.C., we want to look at other war memorials and the narrative of their construction. Reading the "story" of the ways memorials are conceived plays an important role in the understanding of public, cultural memory. You can delve into the subject with this week’s blog post by WW1CC intern, Sarah Biegelsen. Read the fascinating tour of some of America's interesting WWI monuments and their stories by visiting ww1cc.org/wwrite

Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3738-forgetting-to-remember.html

www.ww1cc.org/wwrite

[SOUND EFFECT]

Soldiers Unknown Interview

For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Chag Lowry (ChAIg) and Rahsan Ekedal (rah-SAN  Ek-uh-dhal) --the author and artist for a Graphic Novel ---- Soldiers Unknown ---- which tells the story of Yurok soldiers - native americans - who were part of the 91st Infantry Division in WW1.

Welcome gentlemen!

[greetings]

This question is to you Chag - To start, can you tell us a bit about the Yurok peoples? And what drew you to the story of the 91st Infantry division?

So you have a great subject here - how did the two of you come together and decide that a graphic novel was the best way  to tell the story?

The native american commitment to serving is huge - probably as a community the large % veterancy.

When it comes to being a graphic novel, have you found any challenges particular to this story during illustration?

Chag you have experts on your side that you consult with?

If you were going to do a companion book to this one, about another WW1 story -- what would you each choose to focus on?

[thanks and goodbye]

Chag Lowry and Rahsan Ekedal - creators of the Graphic Novel - Soldiers Unknown. Learn more at the links in the podcast notes.

Link:https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/veterans/soldiers-unknown-graphic-novelist-chag-lowry-on-world-war-is-native-warriors/

http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/1890-four-questions-for-chag-lowry.html

http://www.rahsanekedal.com/news/

Chris Kelly Interview

In another Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Christopher Kelly, an American history writer based in Seattle and London, and editor of An Adventure in 1914: The True Story of an American Family’s Journey on the Brink of World War I.

Welcome, Chris!

[greetings]

Chris, this book is in fact a memoir that you edited. Can you tell us a bit about the man whose memoir it is, Thomas Tileston [Tile-ston] Wells?

You’ve written and co-written a number of other books, but came to this one as an editor; what kind of work is done by the editor of a pre-existing text like this one?

So what is the story about?

The story is just incredible-- made for the movies almost! Just for fun, if a film version of this story were to be made, who would you cast as as your great grandfather - Mr. Wells?

There So I understand there is a romance side of the story… tell us about that…

Where do i find the book, and how can i get it?

[goodbyes/thanks]

Christopher Kelly is an American history writer based in Seattle and London. You can find links to the website for the book, An Adventure in 1914 in the podcast notes.

Links:http://anadventurein1914.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-1914-American-Familys-Journey-ebook/dp/B01LXD1KHQ

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/christopher-kelly/adventure-1914/

https://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Our website at WW1cc.org is the home and archive for lots of things WW1 - with over 3700 articles on WWI, 2,000 locations listed in our map database and nearly 1400 WWI related events in our national events register - its a great place to explore and new articles are published weekly.

This week we will highly a few of them for you.

Pow-wow honors Wisconsin

Pow-wow honors Wisconsin World War I Native American vets

First from the Badger State -- Wisconsin-- it’s an update from the states, an event and an article.

About 200 people gathered on Veterans Day to commemorate 28 Ho-Chunk men – known as the Winnebago Indians in 1917 — from the area surrounding Volk Field National Guard training base in Wisconsin.

The families of these warriors — known as Descendants of Red Arrow — have met at Volk Field since 1977 to celebrate their service, their memory, and the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division, which continues today as the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Read the story about the ceremony and its World War One origins by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3704-pow-wow-honors-wisconsin-wwi-native-american-veterans.html

Historic WWI DH4 aircraft will fly again

For all the aviation buffs out there, some exciting news coming out of Kentucky.

There, a team of enthusiasts is hard at work restoring the first warplane built in America — the Dayton-Wright DH4.

The group members hope to remind the public of the plane’s importance by restoring the DH4 in time for test flights this coming spring with plans for airshows across the country and even a trip to France.

Read more about the ongoing efforts to get the so-called Liberty Plane flying again by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the link in the podcast notes.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3709-historic-wwi-dh-4-aircraft-will-fly-again.html

And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what’s going on in the world of social media this week?

Hi Theo!

Canadian Tragedy

This week, we shared the story of one of the worst accidents of the war, certainly the worst in North America. In the port city of Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 6th, 1917, a ship carrying aid collided with a ship carrying high-explosives, causing an explosion and tsunami wave that destroyed the north end of the city, and killed some 2,000 people and injured a further 9000. At the time, the explosion was the largest human-made blast that the world had experienced, reaching a measured height of 2.25 miles

Sadly, the explosion was followed by a blizzard that severely restricted efforts to help the city for days. Commemorations of this disaster are to take place soon, and you can read more about both the explosion and the upcoming commemorations at the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/11/commemorations-mark-centenary-of-wwi-explosion-that-killed-2000-canadians.aspx

Cello from the Trenches

Finally, let’s end on a lighter note, with some music!

[MUSIC]

An article shared on Facebook this week comes from ClassicFm.Com and features a video of a very special, and special looking, cello being played. The cello is a long, narrow rectangle, rather than the large, curvaceous instrument we’re used to calling cello. This is a “holiday cello” – an instrument you can pack up and take away with you so you can still practise when you’re away from home. And, indeed, it went very far from home as its British owner, Harold Triggs, was sent to the trenches and took the cello with him. He played it in the trenches of Ypres and he wasn’t the only one – there were reportedly other instruments in the trenches, some made from ammunition boxes and pipes.

In that bleak place, people needed music. Decades and decades later, it found its way into the hands of a stringed instrument expert. In the video, cellist Steven Isserlis plays it for us so we can all hear the music that once filled the war torn landscape 100 years ago.

And that’s it this week for the Buzz!

link:http://www.classicfm.com/artists/steven-isserlis/trench-cello-first-world-war/

And that’s WW1 Centennial News for the end of November, 1917 and 2017

Our guests this week..

• Mike Shuster, explaining the growing role of tanks in the war   

Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research…

And I am Theo Mayer - your host.

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Your listening to this podcast is a part of that…. Thank you!

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/coin - where you can learn about the US Mint’s 2018 commemorative WWI coin

We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget

to share the stories

you are hearing here today

about the war that changed the world!

[MUSIC]

So I’m putting on my Matrix trench coat - snapping on my third generation dick tracy apple watch - in costume and all set to take in  a special showing of “All quiet on the western front” at my local movie house -  So long!

So long!

• Thanksgiving reflections from 1917 @ | 01:15

Image Credit: A work-in-progress image of a Yurok Native Army soldier drawn by Rahsan Ekedal for the upcoming Graphic Novel "Soldiers Unknown" by Chag Lowry

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 29th, 2017. Our guests this week include:

• Mike Shuster from the great war project blog,   

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]

It is sometimes difficult in our media overloaded, multi-faceted, social and general media inundated world --- not be cynical - but in 1917 many people genuinely believed that they were answering a higher calling.

That makes Thanksgiving 1917,  100 years ago this past week an interesting moment of reflection for millions of Americans both within our nation and those who find themselves “over there”.

We are going look at this -  plus a series of other stories that occur as the American Military finds itself on the precipice of major battle action.

So let’s jump into our wayback machine and see what was happening 100 years ago this week in the War that Changed the World.

World War One THEN

100 Year Ago This Week

Web donations: ww1cc.org/donate

Text-to-give donations: Text “wwi” to 91999

Learn more: ww1cc.org/memorial

• Being Thankful | @ 00:40

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - The weekly podcast about WWI and the Centennial commemoration of the war that changed the world.

WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library.

Welcome to our Thanksgiving week special show.

[MUSIC]

For this special week, where we traditionally celebrate with our families and give thanks for the bounty in our lives, we are bringing you a special episode of WWI Centennial News.

We are celebrating with our now gone family of Americans who, 100 years ago took up the challenge, the mission and the fight to help end one of the most horrific periods in human history.

We are going to take a moment to reflect and give thanks to their service and their sacrifice, whether they were soldiers, mothers, workers, men, women, children, even horses, mules and dogs - we are inviting you to join us in giving thanks to a nation committed to a cause.

… not for territorial gain, not to dominate other nations or to stop other nations from directly dominating us -- but rather for a cause embodied in an idea and an ideal of liberty and freedom. Ideas we must never take for granted because we have them only courtesy of the commitment and sacrifice of our forbears.

If this all sounds “schmaltzy” to you… just take a deep breath and wrap your head around this… people DIED for you to have this. Think of your own family and those you love and remember those who have lost their loved ones - for you.

On this Thanksgiving 100 years ago, literally millions of Americans both here and on foreign shores were united in preparing, training, building, transforming, fighting and even dying because our people by and large felt is was simply the right thing to do in the cause of liberty and freedom for the people of the world.

So let us all give thanks for what we have.

Meanwhile, we, the World War One Centennial Commission also want to give thanks to the many of YOU who have supported, sponsored and donated to our work and our mission of bringing this rather amazing moment of our history out of it’s dusty trunk in the attic of our past and into the awareness of our present.

During this week’s episode we are going to bring you highlights from the November 9th Ceremonial Groundbreaking for the National WWI memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC.

It was a watershed moment in our ambitious effort in building a memorial to honor the men and women who served 100 years ago in the war that changed the world.

By law, no tax dollars can be used to build this memorial. It must be built with private funds and donations - in that regards, this truly IS America’s WWI memorial.

So during this time of giving thanks and celebrating what we have, we are asking you for you financial support with a tax deductible donation to built this WWI memorial. We need your help to do it. We can’t do it without you. And it’s easy - just go to ww1cc.org/donate - it’s a really simple URL to remember - the letters w w the number 1 - the letters c  c dot o  r  g/donate - ww1cc.org/donate… I a little while we’ll tell you how to donate by just sending us a text.

But right now, from the ceremonial groundbreaking - Here is the chair of the World War One Centennial Commision - Commissioner Terry Hamby….

[Mr. Terry Hamby, Chair of the WWI Centennial Commission]

You can help keep the faith with those who died - so they can rest in Flanders Field. We need your tax deductible donation to build their memorial… And of course we want to make that as easy as we can. So since many of you listen to our podcast on your smart devices, we have set it up so you can text a donation from your phone.

It’s really easy. Go to your texting app and text the letters w w i  to 91-999. Our text-to-give app is really easy, safe and you can donate any amount you choose. You can even make the donation in honor of your family or your ancestor!

From the ceremonial groundbreaking, here is the congressman Ted Poe of Texas with a little background about his and Congressman Cleaver’s journey in getting congress to pass the law that established the memorial.

[The Honorable Ted Poe, Congressman]

It’s really a pleasure to be able to report that the centennial commemoration of WWI and the establishment of a national WWI memorial in Washington DC have served as an precious and rare area of bi-partisanship in our national legislature… this is truly a sign of honor and respect that all Americans have for those who serve and who have served our nation.

And we’re appealing to you, whether your political leanings are Republican, or Democrat, Conservative or liberal to help build the memorial to commemorate those who answered the call 100 years ago. Give your thanks and honor those men and women of the past by sending a tax deductible gift - of any size - either by going to the website at ww1cc.org/donate or texting the letters wwi or ww1 to the phone address at 91-999. We’ll send you a receipt for your taxes and our sincere gratitude for your heart.

Next, here is Congressman Emanuel Cleaver with a little insight into the bi-partisan collaboration that surrounds this worthy project.

[The Honorable Emanuel Cleaver, Congressman]

Congressman Cleaver said it well. No gift is complete until we say thank you. We’re asking you - to say thank to our WWI veterans on this thanksgiving Holiday with a donation to their memorial - which completes their gift of sacrifice and service to us..

Please make a tax deductible donation - whatever you can - a dollar, 11 dollars and 11 cents for 11/11, 50, a hundred or a thousand.. Remember your own - with a gift specifically in the name of someone who has served our nation. Please go to to ww1cc.org/donate, or by texting wwi or ww1 to 91-999 now.

You know it’s really important to remember and to be clear - we are commemorating WW1 - we are NOT celebrating it. War is not something to celebrate… War is a terrible thing! and to give you some insight into that - perhaps from an unexpected source - is the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army -

[General Mark A. Milley, 39th Chief of Staff of the Army]

Giving thanks is about caring… participating in the ceremonial groundbreaking is a project partner who will be taking on that task. Here is Bob Vogel from the National Park Service - whose national memorial role may not be something you are familiar with!

[Bob Vogel, director of the National Capital Region (NCR), National Park Service]

We want to remind you that the law specifically prohibits government funds from paying for this memorial - so none of this is possible without YOUR help. We need your contribution to build this memorial. So if you are listening on your smartphone  - pause this podcast RIGHT NOW then go to your texting application, type 91-999 into the address field - type the letters w w i into the message field and press send - you’ll get a reply immediately that will allow you to make a contribution of any size to help build YOUR memorial to WWI in our nation’s capital! Then come back here and listen to the rest of the show - we’ve got some good stuff coming - and you’ll be feeling really good as you listen!

We are a nation committed to honoring those who served - Honoring our WWI veterans is LONG overdue. Our next three speakers live, breath, service and support veterans - starting with the administration’s new Secretary of Veterans Affairs - the honorable David Shulkin

[The Honorable David Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs]

Both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars have stepped up on this project with significant contributions to the WW1 memorial.

We want to thank them and their memberships for supporting the project so generously.

Here are Keith Harman, Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Denise H. Rohan, National Commander, American Legion

[Keith Harman, Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars]

[Denise H. Rohan, National Commander, American Legion]

Again, thank you to both the VFW and American Legion national organizations for their substantial and very important financial support of the WWI memorial in Washington DC - a city that is currently run by the  honorable Mayor Muriel Bowser. As you’ll hear, she and the city are very supportive and looking forward to having this new and important commemorative feature as a part of the Nation’s capital.

[The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington]

So we have been pretty direct with you today - We need your help and contributions to build the WWI memorial! And although congress did not allow for any tax dollars to help, here is congressman Doug Lamborn who is going to tell us about a WWI commemorative coin that congress authorized - AND - with a portion of the proceeds available to help pay for the memorial.

[The Honorable Doug Lamborn, Congressman]

And to close out our thanksgiving special fundraiser for the WWI memorial, we have Congressman Kevin Yoder - with some thank yous of his own!

[The Honorable Kevin Yoder, Congressman]

So happy Thanksgiving to you and your family - Thanks for the time you’ve taken here today to reflect, hear about and remember those who have served and those who have paid to make our American way of life possible.

Thank you for your generous contribution to our effort to commemorate and honor the men and women who gave us so much 100 years ago in the war that changed the world.

And one last time, here is how you can contribute to the memorial and learn more about it.. Using a web browser, go to ww1cc.org - just type the letters w w the number 1 and c c dot o r g… that is the commission’s home page. When you get there on the top left of the page is a panel about the memorial. You can click on Donate Today or Memorial Mesign to learn about the details of the design, the location, the designers and more - it’s a pretty interesting site..

Or - really easy and fast - you can text to donate - send the simple text message “wwi” to the number 91-999. You’ll get a message right back that links you up with a donation page on your smartphone.

Happy thanksgiving to all of you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for giving. Thank you for caring. We do this work for the doughboys and for you. It is our privilege!

World War One Centennial news will be back next week with our regular program. I’m Theo Mayer, the Commission’s chief technologist and your host.

[Music]

So long.

• The Suffragists in WWI @ | 01:20

more...----more----

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 15th, 2017. Our guests this week include:

• Mike Shuster from the great war project blog,   

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]

Let's begin today’s show with a single word. Suffrage!

What is that word?

Is it about the process of suffering - well yea -  but only in a manner of speaking,

The actual etymology or the history of the word comes the latin term for voting or to VOTE.

It's a little hard to remember that 100 years ago, during the war that changed the world, a large part of the American citizenry had no democratic sway or say in the governance of the country.

For some reason, in a majority of states, it was thought that you needed testicles in order to cast a vote.

The Suffrage movement - the movement for women's right to vote - was in high gear during this time  and in 1916 during his presidential campaign, Woodrow Wilson promises that his democratic party will endorse women's suffrage -

During that same election, the progressive state of Montana - surprise - surprise - elects suffragist Jeannette Rankin to the US House of Representatives.

And just 4 days after being sworn in as the first woman to serve in congress, on April 6, 1917, the house of representatives is casting its historic vote about declaring war on Germany - which eventually passed 373 to 50.

Jeannette Rankin remains silent during the first reading of the roll call. So--- Former Speaker of the house - Joe Cannon of Illinois -- seeks her out on the house floor and advises: “Little woman, you cannot afford not to vote. You represent the womanhood of the country...  and in the American Congress.”

So on the second reading of the roll, violating house rules about commenting on your votes, Rankin rises from her seat and intones...  

“I want to stand by my country, but I cannot vote for war.”

While the women of America are fully engaged in the war effort... from sending their sons and husbands and even daughters into an unknown future, to taking over critical infrastructure jobs and tasks on the homefront, and in dozens of other ways --  one hundred years ago this week, the pages of the New York Times are filled with stories about suffragists, pacifists, and President Wilson's change of position on the women's suffrage movement.

Wow - So let's jump back in time 100 years and see what the fuss in all about!

[MUSIC TRANSITION]

It is the second week of November, 1917 and just a week ago, a socio political tsunami lands -- when on November 6th 1917:  Women in New York State win the right to vote!!  This sends shock waves through the political arena and emboldens the suffragists to take action in Washington DC.

In the November 11th Sunday edition of the New York Times there are three articles about the suffragist in DC.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline October 11, 1917

A headline in the New York Times reads:

SUFFRAGISTS WARY OF OLD PARTY BIDS

They Declare Purpose of Continued Nonpartisan Fight for Federal Amendment

Denounce all Political BOSS ism

Men Leaders See Danger to Their Prestige In New Political Holdings

And the story goes on to read:

The Suffrage Leaders have decided to keep the Woman Suffrage Party and it's organized allies alive and militant as NON PARTISAN AGENCIES to continue the fight - at least until after the congress shall have adopted - and sufficient state legislatures shall have ratified the so-called Susan B Anthony amendment to the Federal Constitution. The amendment that shall provide for the enfranchisement of women in every nook and corner of the United States!

Politicians of "the other sex" who heard of this yesterday realized with a sudden start that MAN was no longer the only pebble on the political beach.

They were not slow to sense the potential behind the plan and marveled that the woman suffrage leaders with a stiff franchise fight on their hands should have found time to think up novel and catchy devices that nad never occurred to the men politicians at all.

So in overview, the woman suffrage movement wins in New York state… and the suffrage leadership realizes the power of their numbers and decide to hold themselves non-partisan as a voting block until their goals are met --- all to the awed surprise and shock of the old boys club - who had not imaged that the ladies would have such strategic pluck!

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline October 11, 1917

Another headline in today's NY Times reads:

SUFFRAGISTS EAGER TO LEARN POLITICS

They Throng to hear from President William taft in discussion of "Partnership of Democratic Nations"

And the story reads

New York:

That the Suffragists are determined to prepare themselves for the polls by receiving as much instruction as possible in the techniques of national and international politics was shown by the throng of women who flocked to Carnegie Hall yesterday to hear ex-president Taft deliver a lecture on a partnership of democratic nations under the auspices of the league for Political Education.

Seldom has Mr. Taft had a more attentive, earnest, and interested audience, than these hundreds of women, who felt that the passage of the Suffrage Amendment in New York obliged them to absorb and understand more thoroughly than they had ever done before, the mysteries and intricacies of political science and international relations.

And yet a third article is published in the NY times on this same Sunday - this one about a defiant protest in Washington.

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline October 11, 1917

The headline reads:

ARREST OF 41 PICKETS FOR SUFFRAGE AT WHITE HOUSE

Police, Unable to Induce Them to Move On, Take them Off in “Black Marias.”

And the story reads:

Forty one woman suffragists from fifteen states were arrested this afternoon for picketing outside the White House. Their adventure was one of the quietest and at the same time most sedately spectacular of all the picketing affairs yet staged.

On former raids by picketers  the crowds had jeered, but today there was none of it. A murmur arose as the vanguard of suffragists marched across Pennsylvania Ave.

They carried their usual display of banners, one at the head of the line reading: “Mr. President, in your message to congress, urge the amendment enfranchising women!”

The police officers quietly informed them that they must “move on”. They replied that they intended on doing no such thing.

The captain gave them a moment to wait, then motioning to the policemen standing by at his elbow, ordered the women escorted to the waiting “Black Maria”. They went without protest filling the wagons.

Mrs. Oliver H P Belmont, member of the national executive Committee of the National Woman’s Party said:

“What have we come to in America when splendid women, loving liberty are arrested for asking this simple question: ‘Mr. President, in your message to Congress urge the passage of the Federal Suffrage Amendment enfranchising Women!”

Two days later….

[SOUND EFFECT]

Dateline November 13, 1917

A headline in the NY Times reads

SUFFRAGISTS PICKETS GET ARRESTED AGAIN

Thirty One, Including Many of The Former Prisoners, Taken at White House Again.

Protesting Delegates of New York Fail to Obtain an Audience with the President.

And the story reads

Thirty-one militant suffragists, most of who were among the forty-one arrested last Saturday, repeated their picketing before the White House today and were re-arrested.

This followed a hearing at which the forty-one appeared before Judge Mellowney of the Police Court, who suspended the sentences.

Mrs. William Kent of california stated:

“My conscience is clear. I walked on Saturday afternoon from Cameron House to the further gate of the White House. I obstructed no traffic. I was moving. At the further gate there was no crowd. I held a banner which all might read.

The administration should commend instead of allowing a prison sentence to be imposed upon women who hold aloft words which show the utmost devotion to the ideals of political liberty on which our government is founded.”

This explanation was offered by Mrs. Wiley:

“I want to state that we took this action with the consecration of spirit. We took this action with willingness to sacrifice our personal liberty, in order to focus the attention of the nation on the injustice of our disenfranchisement, that we might thereby win political liberty for all the women of the country.”

She closed with:

The constitution says that Congress shall not in any way abridge the right of citizens peaceably to assemble and petition. That is exactly what we did. We peacefully assembled and then proceeded with our petition to the President for the redress of our grievance of disenfranchisement. The constitution does not specify the form of petition. Ours was in the form of a banner. To say that we broke the traffic regulations when we exercise our constitutional right of petition is in therefore itself unconstitutional!

President Wilson, a previously declared supporter of suffrage now finds himself in a bind. The suffragists are in a large part anti-war, growing in power, declaring themselves apart from established parties and seemingly ever more militant.  He comes to see the movement as a threat to the war effort.

In the end a compromise is reached, the suffrage movement declares support for the war and the Susan B. Anthony amendment is ratified after being passed by the thirty-sixth state, Tennessee, on August 18, 1920. A woman’s right to vote becomes the nineteenth amendment to the United States Constitution - a movement that has a watershed moment 100 years ago this week in the War that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

At last the Battle of Passchendaele in Flanders ends. It is declared a victory for the allies - but at such costs - can anything really be considered a victory. Here to tell us about it is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. The horror at Passchendaele is finally over! Mike:

[Mike Shuster]

Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog.

LINK:

http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/12/a-great-battle-is-over/

[SOUND EFFECT]

For video about WWI - we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube hosted by Indy Neidell.  

This week’s new episodes are:

• The Russian October Revolution

Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube.

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

Now we are going to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - and explore what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world!

[SOUND EFFECT]

Events: Recap of Groundbreaking

Last week on November 9, 2017 the US World War One Centennial Commission hosted the ceremonial groundbreaking for America’s WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC.

The event marked an important moment in the projects realization with great guests speaking on the occasion including Muriel Bowser the Mayor of Washington DC, Congressmen Ted Poe, Emanuel Cleaver, Doug Lamborn and Kevin Yoder in a great bipartisan show of support,

the administration's US Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin,

And The Chief of staff of the army, General Mark A. Milley - now this is a post that General Pershing himself held from 1921 to 1924,

and that is just some of the great speakers…

In fact it was such an interesting series of presentations, perspectives and information that next week we are dedicating a special thanksgiving holiday episode to bringing you the event!

[SOUND EFFECT]

Memorial Update

Interview with Joe Weishaar

Joseph Weishaar, who won the international design competition to become the Lead designer for the National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC spoke at the event and is also with us here today. Joe, it’s the first time we have had you on the show but certainly will not be the last… Welcome!

[greetings]

[Joe.. we want to learn a little about you - your not an old hand at this memorial design thing - can you tell us how you decided to enter the design competition and the experience of getting selected?]

[So during the livestream of the ceremonial groundbreaking the chat room was full of comments from your hometown - your school, your family, your teachers -  Where did you grow up and who are all those folks?]

[Joe tell us a bit about your partnership with Sabin Howard - who we will have on the show when he gets back from New Zealand - how did you two hook up and what roles do each of you play?]

[OK - I have to do this to you… and i will ask you this again in the future - what is the most memorable thing about this experience for you so far?]

[Joe - I heard you just got married! Tell us about the happy bride.

[Well congratulations to both of you! And we look forward to having you come on the show for updates on the project and the journey of Joe Weishaar! Thanks Joe!]

[goodbyes/thanks]

Joseph Weishaar is the architect and designer for the National World War One Memorial in Washington, DC.

Go to ww1cc.org/memorial to learn all about the project - and we have the link in the podcast notes.

Link: www.ww1cc.org/memorial

And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war  ---

Americans have been known for shooting skills since the colonial pioneer days, and in World War One they continued to display their sharpshooting skills in the trenches.

But shooting from a trench in the war was very different from shooting back home; lifting your head up while you carefully aimed in on a target could get you killed. So when you went to fire, speed was key. Snapping up over the parapet, aim, fire and drop became THE standard procedure, a procedure that came to be known as a  snapshot!

The word snapshot had been used to describe a quick shot from a firearm during the 1800s, but came into much more frequent use during the war.

Around the same time, the word was also borrowed for another activity - taking pictures! As we mentioned in episode #30, this era was the advent of roll film and small, portable cameras. This allowed people to take pictures casually and easily. These quickly composed photographs also became known as snapshots - pop up the camera - aim - fire with the same speed as their namesake riflemen.

A game even emerged called “snapshooting,” a sort of photographic version of tag: where you tried to escape while someone raced around trying to catch you on film. It  was a kind of photographic version of hunting…

but as we were preparing this article - it suddenly struck me how strange it is that we speak of shooting a picture, shooting video, shooting a selfie…

I mean if you think about it - that’s completely backwards - nothing comes out of the camera - you’re not shooting anything - the light and image go INTO the camera - so you’re not shooting, you’re capturing something.

But… somehow the term SnapCap just does not have the panache of this week’s speaking WWI word - SnapSHOT

See the podcast notes to learn more!

link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563

7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz

https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/photography

https://books.google.com/books?id=e1uOAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=snapshot+word+origin&source=bl&ots=lbRMBtv72g&sig=0z6RxsEwfHGJrS79B1ivAL5GoKI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs3Nijnr7XAhWH0iYKHcyvC-M4ChDoAQgoMAA#v=onepage&q=snapshot%20word%20origin&f=false

[SOUND EFFECT

Jackson, Missouri

Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment

about the $200,000 matching grant challenge

to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials.

As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’

This week we are profiling the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project in Jackson, Missouri-- one of the first 50 awardees of the 100 available grants.

with us tell us about the project is Commander Lawson Burgfeld, USN RET, and the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project Lead for the American Legion Post  #158

Welcome Lawson!

[exchange greetings]

[Lawson - looking through your grant application, your project reads like a textbook case for our program! First of all, the memorial in in front of your county courthouse where SO many WWI memorials are to be found - but there is so much more.]

[Would you start by telling us a bit about the project itself, please…]

[What made you decide to participate in the 100 Cities / 100 memorials project? How did you hear about it?]

Commander Lawson Burgfeld is the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project Leader for American Legion Post  #158 in Jackson, Missouri a WWI Centennial Memorial project awardee!

If you have a local project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program!

Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials

[SOUND EFFECT]

“Travels with Darley” - France’s Western Front Region

For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Darley Newman, the host and producer of “Travels with Darley” on PBS, where she travels the world with locals as the guides to uncover great food, culture, history and outdoor adventures.

Darley produced a 2 episode series about traveling to France’s Western Front -  which is airing on PBS stations across the nation now...

Welcome, Darley!

[greetings]

[Darley, there are so many amazing things to focus on in France: the food, the wine, the fromage, the architecture… how did you come to focus on American WW1 sites as a topic for your travel show?]

[Which site sticks out in your mind as particularly affecting or interesting?]

[If I wanted to take a trip through the historic areas of the Western Front in Northern France - how should I prepare?]

[Last question - if I take this trip - what should I NEVER DO?]

[goodbyes/thanks]

Darley Newman is the host and producer of “Travels with Darley” on PBS, and you can watch the “Travels with Darley: France’s Western Front” episodes, see the online videos and get other special content by following the links in the podcast notes.

Links:http://us.media.france.fr/en/node/6461

https://travelswithdarley.com/tv-show/pbs-tv-preview/#season-four-episodes

Romagne Museum http://www.romagne14-18.com/index.php/en/

Interview with Nick Brokeshoulder

This week in our Remembering Veterans segment, we have a special guest Nick Brokeshoulder from the Hopi Tribe of Arizona & Absentee

Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma-  Nick is a Retired US Army-Sergeant First Class and is with us today to tell us about his Grandfather Guy Maktima (mahk-tay-ma), a son of the Hopi tribe.

Welcome, Nick!

[greetings]

[Nick… As a child of 12, Your grandfather was taken from his Hopi village by US cavalry troops and sent for “white” education in 1907. That is a pretty brutal experience - How do you think that affected his decision to join the military?]

[It turns out your grandfather also had musical talent and played the trombone! And played in the 158th Regimental band. Tell us that story!]

[when Katherine was researching your story, she came across a recording of the 158th regimental band - it’s possible your grandfather is in the trombone section of this recording! Let’s take a listen!]

[Play segment]

What was Guy Maktima experience during the war?

[What did Guy Maktima do after the war ended?]

[last question Nick - how has the Centennial of WWI affected your remembrance of your grandfather?]

Thank you Nick!

[goodbye/thanks]

Nick Brokeshoulder is the grandson of Private Guy Maktima (mahk-tay-ma), who served in the US Army during WW1. If you want to hear more stories of individuals who served in the war, head over to our Stories of Service page at ww1cc.org/stories  where you’ll also find a link where you can submit your veterans story.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service.html

Recording of the 158th band: http://www.forttuthill.org/band.html

The Expeditionary Corps of Armored Cars exhibit

In Articles and Posts this week, we are profiling unique story --- of a unique military unit that had adventures unlike any other, during the World War I --The Expeditionary Corps of Armored Cars.

The Corps, often called ACM, was a military division formed by Belgian volunteers during WWI. It was sent to Russia at the request of the Tsar to fight the German Army on the Eastern front.

After the Bolshevik revolution, the ACM corps found itself trapped in hostile territory, unable to return to Allied territory through Europe or the Middle East - so to reach safety, the Corps headed east, eventually reaching the US through China and Siberia. Talk about a road trip!

The Embassy of Belgium has a new World War I exhibit on the ACM that has been traveling across the United States. We caught up with two members of the Belgian Embassy staff, who worked on the exhibit -- and you can read the interview with them at ww1cc.org/news or by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3630-four-question-for-gaelle-powis-de-tenbossche-and-carl-vander-maelen.html

And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what’s going on in the world of social media this week?

Hi Theo!

Veterans Day in Gondrecourt

Veterans Day and Armistice Day commemorations took place all across the world last week, and you can see many photos and videos of various events shared on our Facebook and Twitter or on our social media wall at ww1cc.org/social.

One post in particular that I wanted to share come from the Facebook page “Les Americains de la Gondrecourt Area”, a very franglais page that commemorates the history of the American presence in Gondrecourt during WW1. On November 10th,  the college students of Gondrecourt paid tribute to 131 American soldiers who died at the American hospital there between 1917 and 1919 by planting a tree in honor of each soldier. Each student received a card with the details of the American Soldier they were to represent in the commemoration, including his regiment and his hometown.

You can see images from this commemorative event by following the link in the podcast notes.

link:https://www.facebook.com/lesamericainsdegondrecourt/posts/516814575343417

Eagle Scout Sign Project

Here in the states, a young man has completed a very ambitious project in Huntington, West Virginia. Benjamin Woodard has just finished installing 17 signs honoring WW1 soldiers as his Eagle Scout project in Ritter Park. The park already contains trees planted in honor of ww1 veterans as well as a WW1 Memorial Arch, so Woodard’s signs fit right in but also provided more information on the individuals who served.

He did research on 91 local veterans of World War One during the course of the project. Coolest of all, he has given all that research to the Clio App, an app which takes your location and guides you to landmarks, museums, and historic sites nearby. People in Huntington will be able to open Clio and hear and read the stories of the soldiers that Woodard found during his work on his Eagle Scout project. Learn more about his project, and the Clio app, by following links in our notes.

That’s it this week for the Buzz!

link:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clio-your-guide-to-history/id897995724?mt=8

http://www.wsaz.com/video?vid=453068653

Thank you Katherine. And that’s WW1 Centennial News for November 15, 1917 and 2017

Our guests this week were:

• Mike Shuster with a look back at the Battle of Passchendaele

And I am Theo Mayer - your host.

The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1.

Our programs are to--

inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; This program is a part of that….

We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms;

We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country;

and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC.

We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support.

The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn  

on  iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast.

Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial.

Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget

to share the stories

you are hearing here today

about the war that changed the world!

[music]

Up, point, aim, squeeze - Got it!  Snapcap - I mean Snapshot!

So long!

• The Suffragists in WWI @ | 01:20

more...

Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 15th, 2017. Our guests this week include:

• Mike Shuster from the great war project blog,   

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]

Let's begin today’s show with a single word. Suffrage!

What is that word?

Is it about the process of suffering - well yea -  but only in a manner of speaking,

The actual etymology or the history of the word comes the latin term for voting or to VOTE.

It's a little hard to remember that 100 years ago, during the war that changed the world, a large part of the American citizenry had no democratic sway or say in the governance of the country.

For some reason, in a majority of states, it was thought that you needed testicles in order to cast a vote.

The Suffrage movement - the movement for women's right to vote - was in high gear during this time  and in 1916 during his presidential campaign, Woodrow Wilson promises that his democratic party will endorse women's suffra