Databases
- American History, 1493-1945 This link opens in a new window
American History, 1493-1945 is a unique collection of American history documents from the earliest settlers to the mid-twentieth century. This database includes primary source documents, including images, chronologies, and documents, from 1493 to 1945.
- Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Britannica Academic provides access to over 10,000 encyclopedia entries from the Encyclopedia Britannica, magazines and journals, and Britannica videos.
- Credo Reference
1914–18, also known as the Great War, conflict, chiefly in Europe, among most of the great Western powers. It was the largest war the world had yet seen. World War I was immediately precipitated by the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist in 1914.
- Historical Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
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Historical Abstracts with Full Text covers world history from the 15th century to the present. Covers related disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology, and sociology. You will find full-text coverage of more than 540 journals and 140 books, with indexing for 2,300 journals in over 40 languages.
- History Vault This link opens in a new window
History Vault provides a first-hand look at pivotal moments in history. You will find primary source materials from the University Publications of America (UPA) Collection.
Podcasts
- Battles of the First World War Podcast
The Battles of the First World War Podcast goes in-depth into the battles of the Great War of 1914-1918. The goal is to really go into the details of how and why these battles unfolded and happened as they did. In telling the narrative of these clashes we can revisit some of the stories of the men and women who lived, fought, and died during the first titanic struggle of the 20th Century, for these people have stories that deserve to be told. - The Great War Podcast
A chronological look at the origins and battles of the First World War from 1890-1920. - History of the Great War
History of the Great War is a weekly podcast that will cover the First World War that occurred from 1914 and 1918. - Voices of the First World War
Dan Snow brings together the sound archive collections of the Imperial War Museums and the BBC to tell the story of World War I through the voices of those who were. - World War 1 Podcast
The events of the first truly global war and its devastating and far reaching impact. - World War I Centennial
WW1 Centennial News a weekly podcast about WWI THEN - 100 years ago this week and It's about WWI NOW - news and updates about Centennial and Commemoration. - World War I Podcast
World War I created many of the political, cultural, and economic fault lines of the world today. Produced by the MacArthur Memorial, this podcast explores the causes, the major players, the battles, the technology, and the popular culture of World War I. - WW1 Digger History Podcast
WWI Digger Stories Podcast reproduces the diaires, memoirs and letters of the real participants in the war that changed the course of the 20th Century. What was it like to be in the trenches, on the ships or behind the big guns where death stalked in infinite ways and it was impossible to make friends unless you were prepared to lose tham at any moment.
Internet Resources
- National Archives: World War I CentennialAs the largest repository of American World War I records, the National Archives invites you to browse the wealth of records and information documenting the U.S. experience in this conflict, including photographs, documents, audiovisual recordings, educational resources, articles, blog posts, lectures, and events. April 6, 2017, marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entrance into the Great War. After remaining neutral for three years, the United States reluctantly entered what was supposed to be "The War to End All Wars." By declaring war, President Woodrow Wilson committed the nation to join the other Allied countries in their efforts to defeat the German-led Central Powers.
- The National WWI MuseumThe website of the National World War 1 Museum.
Perspectives
Lost Voices: The Untold Stories of America's World War I Veterans and Their Families
2017 is the 100th anniversary of America's declaration of war against Germany. Many historians take a diminutive stance regarding America's involvement but it cannot be underestimated by any means. It was the reason that brought Germany to it is knees and forced them to accept an armistice that was a victory of sorts achieved over the German forces and their allies. There is global renewed interest in World War One. All the protagonists are long dead but many of their relatives are still with us. This volume will draw you into the whole experience from the home front to the hell of the trenches. These are the voices of those who were never heard but their suffering and their involvement was total and uncompromising, and now finally they can breathe again. They are not forgotten.
The Second Line of Defense
In tracing the rise of the modern idea of the American "new woman," Lynn Dumenil examines World War I's surprising impact on women and, in turn, women's impact on the war. Telling the stories of a diverse group of women, including African Americans, dissidents, pacifists, reformers, and industrial workers, Dumenil analyzes both the roadblocks and opportunities they faced. She richly explores the ways in which women helped the United States mobilize for the largest military endeavor in the nation's history. Dumenil shows how women activists staked their claim to loyal citizenship by framing their war work as homefront volunteers, overseas nurses, factory laborers, and support personnel as "the second line of defense." But in assessing the impact of these contributions on traditional gender roles, Dumenil finds that portrayals of these new modern women did not always match with real and enduring change. Extensively researched and drawing upon popular culture sources as well as archival material, The Second Line of Defense offers a comprehensive study of American women and war and frames them in the broader context of the social, cultural, and political history of the era.
The Assassination of the Archduke
Drawing on unpublished letters and rare primary sources, King and Woolmans tell the true story behind the tragic romance and brutal assassination that sparked World War I In the summer of 1914, three great empires dominated Europe: Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. Four years later all had vanished in the chaos of World War I. One event precipitated the conflict, and at its hear was a tragic love story. When Austrian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand married for love against the wishes of the emperor, he and his wife Sophie were humiliated and shunned, yet they remained devoted to each other and to their children. The two bullets fired in Sarajevo not only ended their love story, but also led to war and a century of conflict. Set against a backdrop of glittering privilege,The Assassination of the Archduke combines royal history, touching romance, and political murder in a moving portrait of the end of an era. One hundred years after the event, it offers the startling truth behind the Sarajevo assassinations, including Serbian complicity and examines rumors of conspiracy and official negligence. Events in Sarajevo also doomed the couple's children to lives of loss, exile, and the horrors of Nazi concentration camps, their plight echoing the horrors unleashed by their parents' deaths. Challenging a century of myth,The Assassination of the Archduke resonates as a very human story of love destroyed by murder, revolution, and war.
Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I
Pulling readers down into the trenches with his intimate battlefield knowledge, John S.D Eisenhower, a retired brigadier general, delivers the complete story of the United States' role in World War I, from the fortunate selection of John 'Black Jack' Pershing as commanding general, to the astonishingly rapid buildup of troops, to America's decisive intervention. While the bulk of recent Great War accounts approach the conflict from British and French perspectives, YANKS focuses entirely on the often misrepresented story of the American Expeditionary Force which, in an incredible span of just 18 months, grew from an under-equipped band of 120,000 troops into a dominant force of four million. Eisenhower has mined little-known diaries and memoirs to illuminate an extrordinary cast of war heroes, both famous and unsung. With chapters focusing on legends like Pershing, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and Sergeant Alvin York, as well as the brave Privates (nicknamed doughboys) who fought on the front lines, this riveting work captures the birth of the modern Army, reasserting the true contributions of America in World War I.
Streaming Media
- The Great War: PBS seriesThe Great War tells the rich and complex story of World War I through the voices of nurses, journalists, aviators and the American troops who came to be known as "doughboys." The series explores the experiences of African-American and Latino soldiers, suffragists, Native American "code talkers" and others whose participation in the war to "make the world safe for democracy" has been largely forgotten. The Great War explores how a brilliant PR man bolstered support for the war; how President Woodrow Wilson steered the nation through years of neutrality, only to reluctantly lead America into the bloodiest conflict the world had ever seen, transforming the United States into a dominant player on the international stage; and how the ardent patriotism and determination to support America's crusade for liberty abroad led to one of the most oppressive crackdowns on civil liberties at home in U.S. history. It is a story of heroism and sacrifice that would ultimately claim 15 million lives and profoundly change the world forever.
- The War to End All Wars: America's Involvement in WWIRelying on newly discovered archival footage, memoirs from the fallen and expert commentary from world-renown scholars, THE WAR TO END ALL WARS tells the story of World War I from the American perspective: It's Ace pilots, mine-laying sailors, heroic doughboys, Harlem Hell Fights, and courageous nurses.
- Winning World War IWINNING WORLD WAR I is a moving dramatisation of the landmark book, The Western Front Diaries, written by historian Dr Jonathan King to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the end of World War I. Dr King presents this little-known story of the role of the tough-fighting Australians in the winning of World War I.
- The World Wars: History ChannelAn assassination in Sarajevo sparks a global war. For the next 30 years, deadly fighting rages across Europe, Africa, China and the Pacific.