When the Great War began, political parties in Russia, as in the other belligerent nations, pledged unity for the sake of the war effort. But the war went badly, the civilian economy suffered, and corruption and incompetence seemed to be the order of the day in the Russian government. The Imperial couple’s well-known but perplexing attachment to the peasant mystic Grigori Rasputin seemed only to be making matters worse, until at last political tensions reached the boiling point.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Russian Easter Festival Overture
Composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888. Public domain.
Performed by The Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
The Mexican Revolution is winding down, and the prospects of a war between Mexico and the USA are diminishing, much to the disappointment of the German government. With a resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare planned for February 1, 1917, the German government devises a contingency plan to induce Mexico to declare war on the United States. Unfortunately for the German government, British Intelligence is monitoring their diplomatic communications.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor
Composed by Johannes Brahms in 1861. Public domain.
Performed by The Advent Chamber Orchestra, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license. Source.

Siegfried Idyll
Composed by Richard Wagner in 1869. Public domain.
Performed by Steve’s Bedroom Band, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 license. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
Harvests have been getting smaller every year the war goes on. The harvest of 1916 was particularly bad. This episode looks at some of the consequences of the food shortages in Germany, including the decision to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ minor
Composed by Johannes Brahms in 1881. Public domain.
Performed by The University of Chicago Orchestra, Edward Auer, soloist, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
With the war continuing, and the death toll growing ever more horrifying, some groups made their own private attempts to bring about an end to the war.
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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Serenade for Strings
Composed by Antonín Dvořák in 1875. Public domain.
Performed by the Advent Chamber Orchestra, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
The internal combustion engine led to the development of automobiles and airplanes. When the Great War began, the combatants strove to employ this new inventions on the battlefield.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Terzetto
Composed by Gustav Holst in 1925. Public domain.
Performed by Steve’s Bedroom Band. Used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 license. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
Woodrow Wilson runs a hard-fought re-election campaign against Republican nominee Charles Evans Hughes. Wilson’s war policy is a major issue in the campaign.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“The Liberty Bell”
Composed by John Philip Sousa in 1893. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Marine Band. Public domain recording. Source.

“Semper Fidelis”
Composed by John Philip Sousa in 1888. Public domain.
Performed by the Oldham Music Centre Youth Wind Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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

 
The United States responds to Pancho Villa’s attack on Columbus, New Mexico with a military expedition into Mexico, commanded by Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“The Army Goes Rolling Along”
Composed by John Philip Sousa in 1917. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Army Band. Public domain recording. Source.

“It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”
Composed in 1912 by Jack Judge and Harry Williams. Public domain.
Public domain recording. In the alternative, it is asserted that the use of the recording here constitutes fair use under copyright law. Source.

Closing War Theme

 

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