Fix Bayonets! - First World War Podcast
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 43 ratingsThe story of World War One has been told from every point of view, from every angle, by countless historians, amateurs, authors, and soldiers, a thousand times over and a bit more than that. Brilliant scholars, popular podcasters, and authors ranging from Keegan to Hemingway have scoured the Great War for truth and answers. For decades they have been shining a light into every trench, wading through every muddy decision and its deadly results, collecting the millions of tales about life during the Great War. With each passing year, we move further from the events themselves. Time has marched to its eternal drum beat, inexorably erasing the collective memories of the horrors that followed that idyllic 1914 summer.
Our show intends to share the story of the First World War in a way that is unlike any before – from three very important perspectives: bird’s eye, ground level, and perhaps most importantly… human. Each episode will cover an offensive, battle, engagement, skirmish, or dust-up by starting at the strategic level and broadly affixing its story within a proper macrocosmic context. Nicole will cover the key players, war-wide implications, and big-picture narrative as to where each event stands in the timeline of World War One. The second component zooms into the tactical aspect. Mike will tackle a particular aspect of the fighting and deliver details on how the engagement unfolded; this includes specifics on the combatant operations, what weapons were used, and more. Then in the final part of the episode, Cullen will provide a ground-level human account of the event in question. Famous warriors, iconic moments, soldiers’ personal experiences, and the odd or exciting stories warfare generates by the thousands.
To forget the Great War would be to damn the countless thousands that died unknown and unaccounted. It is a great passion and pleasure for Nicole, Mike, and Cullen to “do their bit” and share the lessons and stories of the lives lived, lost, and long past. Though we aim to entertain and educate, we must always honor and never forget.
Thank you for listening!
-Fix Bayonets Crew
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Episodes
Whizz-Bang - The Battle of Le Cateau
July 06, 2021 12:51 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBIn this Whizz-Bang, Mike breaks down the Battle of Le Cateau, a small but essential encounter battle that makes up part of the mosaic of the Battle of the Frontiers. While attempting to pull their forces out of the way of the German steamroller, the British tried to slow their pursers down by turning and fighting. What followed was an artillery duel that displayed the dominance of shellfire over infantry on the modern battlefield. The British fought stubbornly but without clear direction and...
Whizz-Bang BEF
June 04, 2021 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBHey guys! To kick off the summer, we have an interesting little Whiz-Bang for you. In this episode, Mike breaks down the BEF (British Expeditionary Force); everything, from what they wore, to how they were organized. Please give a listen and hang in there as our episode on the Marne, a Whiz-Bang on Joffre, and more are coming soon! RATE - REVIEW - SUBSCRIBE P.S. For the Americans out there - Mike is saying khaki the way the Brits do!
Battle of Mons
March 29, 2021 19:30 - 1 hour - 110 MBIn late August 1914, the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) made its Great War debut. The Battle of the Frontiers that we covered in previous episodes was a series of battles clumped together. At Mons, the British were tasked with holding a part of the French left flank and stop the German 1st Army before them. Nicole places the battle within the strategic situation and gives a great birds-eye-view of the fight. Mike, as always, takes us to the tactical level and guides us through the mechani...
Whizz-Bang - Albert & the Belgians
February 23, 2021 14:14 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBIn August of 1914, the small country of Belgium faced overwhelming odds as 1.5 million German soldiers invaded her territory. Led by King Albert the 1st, the Belgians and their army were determined to stand and fight for their homes. While the outcome was sadly never in doubt, the Belgians’ unexpectedly fierce resistance added to the many disruptions that the Germans’ Schlieffen Plan could not afford.
Whizz-Bang - Albert and the Belgians
February 23, 2021 14:14 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBIn August of 1914, the small country of Belgium faced overwhelming odds as 1.5 million German soldiers invaded her territory. Led by King Albert the 1st, the Belgians and their army were determined to stand and fight for their homes. While the outcome was sadly never in doubt, the Belgians’ unexpectedly fierce resistance added to the many disruptions that the Germans’ Schlieffen Plan could not afford.
Whizz-Bang - Forts & Fight at Liege
February 05, 2021 19:26 - 42 minutes - 39 MBThe fortresses around the Belgian City of Liege were fierce, formidable, and frightening structures to behold in the summer of 1914... but they were no match for a new breed of German artillery firepower. In this episode we explore what happened at Liege in the opening days of the Great War and how those events would shape battles, people, and the tide of war itself in the years to come. You’ll learn about the mighty Krupp and Skoda cannons that smashed layers of concrete defense works and h...
Whiz-Bang - Forts & Fight at Liege
February 05, 2021 19:26 - 42 minutes - 39 MBThe fortresses around the Belgian City of Liege were fierce, formidable, and frightening structures to behold in the summer of 1914... but they were no match for a new breed of German artillery firepower. In this episode we explore what happened at Liege in the opening days of the Great War and how those events would shape battles, people, and the tide of war itself in the years to come. You’ll learn about the mighty Krupp and Skoda cannons that smashed layers of concrete defense works and h...
Whiz-Bang - The German Army Marches Through Brussels, 1914
January 14, 2021 17:19 - 6 minutes - 6.1 MBRichard Harding Davis was an American newspaper reporter and witnessed the German army's march through the city. This excerpt is from Richard Harding Davis' account from his book, Richard Harding Davis: His Day (1933). It is slightly different than the one reported by the New York Tribune but the feeling is the same. We join his account as he sits at a boulevard cafe waiting for the German arrival: "The change came at ten in the morning. It was as though a wand had waved and from a fete-day...
WhizBang - The German Army Marches Through Brussels, 1914
January 14, 2021 17:19 - 6 minutes - 6.1 MBRichard Harding Davis was an American newspaper reporter and witnessed the German army's march through the city. This excerpt is from Richard Harding Davis' account from his book, Richard Harding Davis: His Day (1933). It is slightly different than the one reported by the New York Tribune but the feeling is the same. We join his account as he sits at a boulevard cafe waiting for the German arrival: "The change came at ten in the morning. It was as though a wand had waved and from a fete-day...
Whizz-Bang - The German Army Marches Through Brussels, 1914
January 14, 2021 17:19 - 6 minutes - 6.1 MBRichard Harding Davis was an American newspaper reporter and witnessed the German army's march through the city. This excerpt is from Richard Harding Davis' account from his book, Richard Harding Davis: His Day (1933). It is slightly different than the one reported by the New York Tribune but the feeling is the same. We join his account as he sits at a boulevard cafe waiting for the German arrival: "The change came at ten in the morning. It was as though a wand had waved and from a fete-day...
Whiz-Bang - Bertrand Russell - Britain's Foremost Pacifist
December 28, 2020 19:12 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBNot everyone was in the throes of patriotic fervor in the summer of 1914. Many felt the coming war was unnecessary, bad for business, irreligious, morally wrong, and a continuation of the broken aristocratic European system. As the clouds of war loomed and then tore asunder over the Continent, conscientious objectors everywhere found themselves in the unenviable position of having to choose between a hated war or prison, which often meant labor or the front anyways. From the beginning, one m...
Whizz-Bang - Bertrand Russell, Britain's Foremost Pacifist
December 28, 2020 19:12 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBNot everyone was in the throes of patriotic fervor in the summer of 1914. Many felt the coming war was unnecessary, bad for business, irreligious, morally wrong, and a continuation of the broken aristocratic European system. As the clouds of war loomed and then tore asunder over the Continent, conscientious objectors everywhere found themselves in the unenviable position of having to choose between a hated war or prison, which often meant labor or the front anyways. From the beginning, one m...
Bertrand Russell - Britain's Foremost Pacifist
December 28, 2020 19:12 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBNot everyone was in the throes of patriotic fervor in the summer of 1914. Many felt the coming war was unnecessary, bad for business, irreligious, morally wrong, and a continuation of the broken aristocratic European system. As the clouds of war loomed and then tore asunder over the Continent, conscientious objectors everywhere found themselves in the unenviable position of having to choose between a hated war or prison, which often meant labor or the front anyways. From the beginning, one m...
Battle of the Frontiers - North
December 07, 2020 22:30 - 1 hour - 89.9 MBIn our monster-sized finale of Battle of the Frontiers, we cover the Northern section of the sprawling fight between the French/British/Belgian forces and the German juggernaut. Nicole gives you the strategic outlook for both sides and elegantly ties up all the loose strings. She is setting the stage for the war to come, the battle of trenches, gas, and horror that, at this point, is just around the corner. Mike dives into the nasty nitty-gritty on the battlefields of Haelen, Lorraine, and i...
Whiz-bang - German Ace Werner Voss
November 07, 2020 17:46 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWerner Voss - Born April 13, 1897, Krefeld, Germany Died: September 23, 1917, Frezenberg, Belgium One of the greatest Ace fighter pilots of the First World War, Voss, was a demon in the Western Front skies. Highly regarded as a pilot by both sides, Voss struck fear into the hearts of his enemies, even when he was wildly outnumbered. Voss's ability to maneuver his plane was second only the Red Baron himself. This episode was researched, written, and presented by show listener and friend ...
Whizz-Bang - German Ace Werner Voss
November 07, 2020 17:46 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWerner Voss - Born April 13, 1897, Krefeld, Germany Died: September 23, 1917, Frezenberg, Belgium One of the greatest Ace fighter pilots of the First World War, Voss, was a demon in the Western Front skies. Highly regarded as a pilot by both sides, Voss struck fear into the hearts of his enemies, even when he was wildly outnumbered. Voss's ability to maneuver his plane was second only the Red Baron himself. This episode was researched, written, and presented by show listener and friend ...
Whizz-Bang - Skirmish at Joncherey
November 06, 2020 21:04 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBBefore the First World War officially began, the killing was already underway. In the small French village of Joncherey, two men would meet for a brief but violent moment on August 2nd, 1914, the day before war was officially declared. The moment would turn them into eternal brothers, transformed by their explosive meeting. French Corporal Jules André Peugeot and German Lieutenant Albert Otto Walther Mayer would soon be the first military deaths of their nations. Music - Kosta T...
Whiz Bang - Skirmish at Joncherey
November 06, 2020 21:04 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBBefore the First World War officially began, the killing was already underway. In the small French village of Joncherey, two men would meet for a brief but violent moment on August 2nd, 1914, the day before war was officially declared. The moment would turn them into eternal brothers, transformed by their explosive meeting. French Corporal Jules André Peugeot and German Lieutenant Albert Otto Walther Mayer would soon be the first military deaths of their nations. Music ...
Whiz-bang - Skirmish at Joncherey
November 06, 2020 21:04 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBBefore the First World War officially began, the killing was already underway. In the small French village of Joncherey, two men would meet for a brief but violent moment on August 2nd, 1914, the day before war was officially declared. The moment would turn them into eternal brothers, transformed by their explosive meeting. French Corporal Jules André Peugeot and German Lieutenant Albert Otto Walther Mayer would soon be the first military deaths of their nations. Music - Kosta T...
Battle of the Frontiers - South
October 25, 2020 19:51 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MB“Attaque a outrance” — “attack to excess” As Europe approached the precipice of war in 1914, France's military thinkers were unwaveringly committed to the idea that an outright, relentless, and wholehearted offensive was not only the key to victory... but the only method of waging war that should be put into action whatsoever. Soon the French armies would crash into the Germans and punish them for their dastardly preemptive strike, and the "Lost Provinces" of Alsace-Lorraine would once a...
Whiz-bang - Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898)
September 28, 2020 18:03 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBIn this Whiz-bang, Cullen dives into the life and times of a true titan, Bismarck! From his early life to his meteoric rise as the virtual ruler of Germany, Otto regularly put on political masterclasses. Using a flare for the dramatic and brilliant diplomatic insight, Bismarck built the German Empire and eventually the fragile system of European treaty's that ensured peace - while he was in charge. His loud and public fall from grace with the young Wilhelm was stunning, moving the world ever...
Whizz-Bang - Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898)
September 28, 2020 18:03 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBIn this Whiz-bang, Cullen dives into the life and times of a true titan, Bismarck! From his early life to his meteoric rise as the virtual ruler of Germany, Otto regularly put on political masterclasses. Using a flare for the dramatic and brilliant diplomatic insight, Bismarck built the German Empire and eventually the fragile system of European treaty's that ensured peace - while he was in charge. His loud and public fall from grace with the young Wilhelm was stunning, moving the world ever...
Whiz-bang - 420mm Big Bertha Siege Howitzer
September 28, 2020 17:49 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBIn this Whiz-bang Nicole talks guns, big guns! The German arms manufacturer Krupp produced the 420mm M-Gerat and these monster field guns went on to play a large role in the artillery duels of the Western Front. Affectionately known as "Big Berthas" these guns were able to lob huge shells great distances, even helping to smash up the modern forts at Liege.
Whizz-Bang - 420mm Big Bertha Siege Howitzer
September 28, 2020 17:49 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBIn this Whiz-bang Nicole talks guns, big guns! The German arms manufacturer Krupp produced the 420mm M-Gerat and these monster field guns went on to play a large role in the artillery duels of the Western Front. Affectionately known as "Big Berthas" these guns were able to lob huge shells great distances, even helping to smash up the modern forts at Liege.
Whiz-bang - Whiz-bang
September 28, 2020 17:35 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBHey Folks, this is Mike and I’m coming to you here with the very first Whiz-bang episode that we will feature on this Fix Bayonets! podcast. In these episodes, Nicole, Cullen, and I will be exploring various topics of interest or topics that may need a little more detail than we have given them in our main episodes. Whiz-bangs are intended to be short, quick, and dirty, just like...you know, the real Whiz-bangs was.
Whizz-Bang - What's a Whizz-Bang?
September 28, 2020 17:35 - 7 minutes - 6.44 MBHey Folks, this is Mike and I’m coming to you here with the very first Whiz-bang episode that we will feature on this Fix Bayonets! podcast. In these episodes, Nicole, Cullen, and I will be exploring various topics of interest or topics that may need a little more detail than we have given them in our main episodes. Whiz-bangs are intended to be short, quick, and dirty, just like...you know, the real Whiz-bangs was.
The Schlieffen Plan
September 28, 2020 17:26 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBThe Schlieffen Plan (in all it's various iterations) was Germany's blueprint for a swift victory if and when she ever found herself in a two-front war against France and Russia. The man behind the plan, Count Alfred Von Schlieffen, understood a military maneuver like this would require precision, detail, and strict obedience to the timetables involved. Of course, even the most careful peacetime planning isn't foolproof when bullets begin to fly, gaps in logistics, and continuous tinkering by...
The July Crisis
September 26, 2020 18:25 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBThe July Crisis of 1914 was the moment of decision, the moment that Bismark's intricate treaty and alliance system finally collapsed in the prelude to World War One. The Crisis ignited after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (which we covered in episode one!). Tensions grew rapidly as Europe's nations sought retribution, issued ultimatums, made threats, or bolstered alliances. When it became clear that peaceful mediation was no longer an option… armies everywhere mobilized, mil...
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
September 24, 2020 17:03 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBFranz Ferdinand: Archduke of Austria, heir to his ancient nation’s throne, and victim of a brutal assassination in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The murder of the would-be emperor and his wife is often cited as THE cause of the Great War. But the truth is a bit more complicated than that… The European continent had been simmering with unrest for years by 1914. And as the heads of state for the world's mightiest empires grew ever more distrustful of each other, the delicate web-like balance of world pow...