Episode notes
Gas, trenches, and strategy gone wrong.
Dr. Nick Lloyd (King’s College London) reveals the real story of World War I — Germany’s blunders, chemical warfare horrors, and why WWI was anything but “the war to end all wars.”
⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Why Wars Happened
00:45 Interview with Dr. Nick Lloyd
01:03 Writing The Western Front
03:55 How World War I Began
07:39 Belgium’s Role in WWI
11:31 Germany’s Military Strategy and Miscalculations
16:52 The Influence of Kaiser Wilhelm II
21:05 Verdun and the Somme: Battles That Defined the War
25:05 America’s Entry: A Game Changer
25:42 German Arrogance and Strategic Errors
27:59 Ludendorff’s Relentless Push for Victory
30:53 Chemical Warfare: Breaking the Rules of War
33:14 The Evolution and Horror of Gas A ...