149: Passchendaele

British soldiers advancing through the blasted, sodden Flanders countryside during the Battle of Passchendaele.

By mid-1917, the Allies were in a precarious situation. The Nivelle Offensive had failed. Russia’s ability to keep up the fight was in doubt. The Americans weren’t even close to ready.

And so it fell to the British Army, commanded by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, to keep up the pressure on the Germans. Haig was eager to begin a new offensive, though the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, questioned the wisdom of such an operation.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Second Suite for Military Band
Composed in 1911 by Gustav Holst. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band. Public domain recording. Source.
 

Closing War Theme 



Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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