In this episode of pplpod, we explore the monumental but often overlooked history of the Indian Army during World War I. When the British Empire entered the Great War, over one million Indian troops volunteered and were deployed overseas to fight. From the freezing trenches of the Western Front in Europe to the grueling desert terrain of the Mesopotamian campaign, Gallipoli, and German East Africa, Indian soldiers were absolutely pivotal to the Allied war effort.

We dive deep into the pre-war military structure shaped by Kitchener's Reforms, which unified the regional presidencies into a single, massive volunteer Indian Army. We also trace the incredible global journeys of the seven Indian Expeditionary Forces, discussing their vital deployments to secure resources like the Anglo-Persian oilfields and their fierce battles against the Ottoma ...