The Great War Podcast

Our first look at events on the Eastern front; The Austrians humiliate themselves against the Serbs. While in East Prussia, the Russians are annihilated at Tannenberg.

The lines stagnate across the Western theatre. Near the Belgian town of Ypres, German and British troops learn a harsh reality. Please note: The Asine runs west of Verdun, not east as I state in the episode. -Dan Map of Western theatre (Sept-Nov 1914) Right click to view in full. Mass grave at Langemark German Cemetery

The war on the Western Front opens up, as the German army cruises through Belgium to the gates of Paris. The allies unveil a new secret weapon on the battlefield. I apologize for the delay this week. I had a heck of a time getting all this stuff sorted out but this is a much better version then I what had originally written. -Dan Map of the Western Theater, August-September 1914. Note the borders...

Two German battle cruisers escape the pursuit of the Royal Navy and seek refuge at Constantinople. The entry of the Ottoman Empire by November 1914, ensures that fighting would no longer be restricted to the European continent.

We conclude our discussion of the July Crisis by looking at events in Britain and offer an answer to why the war broke out.

A century after the Napoleonic Wars, the Concert of Europe crumbles in a matter of weeks following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Before killing off Franz Ferdinand, we take a look at some of the domestic issues effecting the Great Powers on the eve of July 1914.

On the heels of the Italian invasion of Libya, a collection of Balkan nations declare war on the Ottoman Empire. A "very" basic map of the First Balkan War. October 1912-May 1913.

In an attempt to establish themselves as a great power, Italy declared war on the Ottomans in September of 1911. The subsequent invasion exposed Italian armed forces as logistically weak and unprepared in the event of a general European war. Watching events from a far, the Balkan states begin to contemplate plans for an attack on the Turks of their own. Map of Libyan campaign (From the sources whi...

The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Austro-Hungarians is another humiliation for Russia, and leaves the Serbs seething toward the Habsburg monarch. Map of Russian interests.

With the war in the Far East raging in the background, Germany attempts to drive a wedge between France and its allies, but only succeeds in bringing them closer together. I know I had stated there would be no episode this week, but unfortunately the long weekend plans fell through. -Dan Beyond the Foxholes Podcast: http://www.breakthroughassault.co.uk/p/beyond-foxholes-podcast.html

The Russo-Japanese War provides us with a chilling glimpse into the nature of industrial warfare.

After nearly coming to blows at Fashoda, the French and English decide to put aside their grievances. In the Far East, Japan and Russia declare war.

With events in Asia threatening the status quo, Great Britain would find itself in desperate need of an ally. * I apologize for this episode being behind schedule. We'll be back on track for Monday!*

In 1890 Wilhelm II dismissed Bismarck, allowing the French to break out of isolation; the British face a looming crisis in the years after 1894.

After the formation of Germany, Bismarck's primary concern was finding a place for the Second Reich in Europe; events in the Balkans would drive the Austro-Hungarians into a military alliance by 1879.

The revolts of 1848 paved the way for the formation of Germany under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck. The events surrounding German unification play a major role in the political atmosphere leading up to 1890. **I have added some introductory music and changed my recording software so I hope you will hear an improvement.

Episode 1 overviews 19th century European politics after the Napoleonic War and the creation of the alliance systems. This is my first ever podcast and am currently ironing out the kinks in my audio software so if the edits seem a bit off that is simply growing pains.