While the Second World War tends to get more attention, this two part series argues World War I was actually more historically important.  Simply put, the Great War exhausted the nations of Europe, thoroughly discrediting traditional authorities, values and institutions.  The first episode provides a general overview of the war itself, from its causes to its conclusion. Along the way we also talk about the new weapons, the great battles, and interesting stories such as how French taxi drivers saved the Third Republic, why poison gas was largely ineffective, and the secrets to the Red Baron’s rapid rise and literal fall.

Image: Paul Nash, We are Making a New World (1918); Imperial War Museum, London, UK.