WW1: Not So Quiet On The Western Fron...
Welcome to "Not So Quiet On The Western Front," the podcast that takes you beyond the trenches and dives deep into the untold stories and surprising truths of the First World War. Join us as we lift the lid on one of the most pivotal periods in human history, busting myths and unravelling the complexities of a conflict that shaped the course of the 20th century.
Host: Dan Hill & Dr. Spencer Jones
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Our WW2 Podcast: https://listen.both-sides-of-the-wire.com
General Enquiries: nsq@battleguide.co.uk
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Credits:
- Host: Dr. Spencer Jones & Dan Hill
- Production & Editing: Linus Klaßen
51
Episode 25: Walking Into Machine Guns
In this episode we’ll look at the highly controversial and often much misunderstood story of the frontal assault on the trenches of the Western Front. We’ll consider why and how it happened, if it was as haphazard and pointless as we are commonly led to believe and address the popular belief that allied commanders repeatedly sent brave men, walking, across no-man’s-land in futile attacks against enemy machine guns.
66 min
52
Episode 24: Why did the armies keep attacking?
Why did the armies keep attacking? In this episode, we’ll examine one of the enduring controversies of the First World War - why did the Allies keep attacking the Western Front when all the advantages seemed to lie with the defender? What informed these decisions, were there other options, and how did these choices play out on the battlefield?
77 min
53
Episode 23: Barbed Wire
This week, in a particularly geeky episode, Dan and Spencer explore the much understudied and perhaps underappreciated importance of barbed wire on the Western Front. Often overlooked as a minor inconvenience, it did in fact shape much of the story of the First World War.
71 min
54
Episode 22: Junior Officers
This week, Dan and Spencer lift the lid on the remarkable story of Junior Officers on the Western Front. We look at their roles and responsibilities, performance on the battlefield and the incredibly heavy price they paid throughout the war.
75 min
55
Episode 21: Trench Raiding
This week's episode sees Spencer and Dan discussing the emergence and evolution of the vital practise of trench raiding across the Western Front. We explore it's purpose, risks and rewards for those daring enough to venture into no-man's-land.
66 min
56
Episode 20: Tommy Atkins
This week Dan and Spencer explore the story of the 'Tommy' of the Great War, looking at his motivations, experiences and performance on the battlefield, and comparing him with the 'Doughboy', 'Digger', 'Poilu' and German soldier on the Western Front.
77 min
57
Episode 19: The Missing
In this week's episode Spencer and Dan explore the story of the 'Missing' of the Great War. We look at what caused men to be reported as missing in action, what the process of searching for a missing serviceman was like and what became of the many men to share that fate.
69 min
58
Episode 18: Zeppelins
In this weeks episode, Dan and Spencer examine the story of Zeppelin Raids in the Great War, with a focus on their initial successes, allied countermeasures and the men on both sides who took to the skies above Britain in a new and truly shocking form of warfare.
71 min
59
Episode 17: Gas Warfare
In this week's episode Spencer and Dan explore the story of Gas Warfare on the Western Front. From it's drastic impact at the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 through it's brutal evolution to 1918 we consider it's purpose, employment and the impact on those who came into contact with it on the Western Front.
72 min
60
Episode 16: Innovation on the frontlines
This week, Dan and Spencer explore the concept of innovation on the Western Front. With millions of men fighting for four years on the frontlines, we take a take dive into how, when and why innovation played such a key role in the Great War.
65 min
61
Episode 15: Artillery- The King of the Battlefi...
Join us this week as Spencer and Dan exore the vital role played by artillery in The Great War. From it's somewhat uninspiring start, and through a steep learning curve in the mid-war years, to it's ultimate emergence as the dominant force on the battlefield, we explore the subject in depth in this week's episode.
79 min
62
Episode 14: Wounded!
This week Spencer and Dan delve into the fascinating and harrowing story of the wounded of the First World War, with a focus on the 'Medical Evacuation Chain', how it evolved throughout the war and what the experience of being wounded was like for literally millions of servicemen on the Western Front.
76 min
63
Episode 13: Trenches
This week follow us into the trenches as we discuss the myths and realities of trench warfare in the First World War. From their inception and involution from 1914-1918 and their eventual abandonment towards the end of the war, we look in detail at life on the frontlines.
82 min
64
Episode 12: Tanks!
In this week's episode Dan and Spencer explore the fascinating story of tanks in the First World War, from their conception and development to performance on the battlefields of the Western Front
90 min
65
Episode 11: Trench Talk
In this week's episode Dan and Spencer explore the language and popularised phrases of the First World War, how it evolved on the Western Front and how much of it can still be found in everyday use today.
51 min
66
Episode 10: Air Power!
In this episode, Spencer and Dan discuss the fascinating story of air power in the First World War. From it’s early role in scouting and reconnaissance, through the development of dedicated fighter aircraft and it’s subsequent evolution in the skies above the battlefield, we explore the enormous impact airpower had on the First World war.
84 min
67
Episode 9: Generals!
This week we explore the famous, and highly controversial figure of the General in the First World War, exploring whether their modern reputation as out of touch, callous and incompetent aristocrats is well deserved.
58 min
68
Episode 8: 100 Days
This week, Dan and Spencer explore the final series of huge offensives of the war on the Western Front, collectively known as the 'Hundred Days'. Fought over a massive area and with ground-breaking new tactics, it has been said that the 100 days saw the birth of modern warfare as we know it today.
66 min
69
Episode 7: Spring Offensive Part 2
This week's episode sees Dan and Spencer continue their journey through the fascinating story of the 1918 Spring Offensive with a look at Operation Georgette, the final phases of the fighting and what it achieved.
57 min
70
Bonus Episode: The Christmas Truce
In this Special Bonus Episode Dan and Spencer explore the story of the famous 1914 Christmas Truce, how it came about, why it is important and what actually happened up and down the British sector on perhaps the most well-known day of the entire war on the Western Front
81 min
71
Episode 6: Spring Offensive Part 1
In this episode Dan and Spencer explore the build up to, and launching of the famous 1918 Spring Offensive, Germany's last gamble to split the British and the French and emerge victorious on the Western Front.
71 min
72
Episode 5: The Battle of Passchendaele
In this episode, Dan and Spencer explore perhaps the best known battle to take place on the Western Front in the First World War. Fought in famously atrocious conditions outside the Belgian Town of Ypres, the battle was a highly complex affair. Join is as we discuss some of the key elements and how they shaped the campaign as a whole.
82 min
73
Episode 4: The Battle of the Somme
In this episode Dan and Spencer discuss perhaps the most infamous of all Battles to take place on the Western front in 1916 - The Somme. Known best for it's disastrous opening day, we explore the planning, execution, impact and legacy of this brutal four month long campaign.
77 min
74
Epsiode 3: The Battle of Loos
In this week's episode Dan and Spencer explore the September 1915 Battle of Loos. Fought over notoriously 'unfavourable ground' it saw new technology and manpower pitted against stubborn German defences across extremely difficult terrain, with predicatbly tragic results.
66 min
75
Episode 2: The Battle of Mons
In this episode we focus on the famous opening engagement of the British expeditionary Force on the Western Front, the Battle of Mons. Fought over four days in tropical August heat, it pitched a small professional force of British soldiers against a numerically superior German Army, with incredibly high stakes.
64 min