The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 4

Battles of the First World War Podcast

Part 4 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1915: an often overlooked year, it was a year of “carnage, optimism, and learning,” as Alex says in the talk. Fighting to keep pressure on the German invader and relieve pressure on the WW1 Russian Front, the French faced a long year where that optimism took several body blows; it was a year where the French Poilu learned this would be a long and terrible war.

This was a fascinating conversation as always, and you really need to listen for the part where Jim Taub talks about handling and firing a Chauchat light machine gun!

Joining us for this discussion are:

• Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter,

• Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects,

• Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields

• James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA, and a public historian with a specialty in French history, and its presentation to American audiences.

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