Since World War I officially began 100 years ago today (that is, July 28th 1914), I decided it would be an opportune time to kick off a multi-part series on this conflict. (As of right now, I’m not 100% sure how many episodes this will encompass, but I think probably around 4.)
Join Prof CJ as he discusses:
- Why he thinks WWI is actually the single worst thing that ever happened in modern history
- Origins of the war, in terms of immediate causes as well as long-term, deep-seated ones
- The alliances, rivalries, and plans that made Europe a powderkeg just waiting for ignition
- The spark that lit it, and how the dominoes fell until every Great Power of the time was at war
- Some thoughts on why the war ultimately proved more costly than prior wars (the state’s software is actually more important than its hardware, Prof CJ thinks)
- The Christmas Truce of 1914 and its implications
- War against civilians in terms of illegal, total blockades (which the British, not the Germans, started first)
Prof CJ’s Picks (buy from Amazon via these links to help support the show at no additional cost to you)
External Links:
- As mentioned in the podcast, the song “Christmas in the Trenches” by John McCutcheon tells the story of the Christmas truce (I submit that if this doesn’t make you tear up, you have no soul. Sorry, but you don’t.)