World War 1

When World War I began in August 1914, the British confidently predicted that it would be "over by Christmas." In Berlin, Kaiser Wilhelm II told his soldiers that they would be "home before the leaves fall." But by late December, it was clear not only that the war was far from over, but also that this would be a more destructive and deadly conflict than any that had come before. On the Western Front, British troops faced the Germans across two opposing lines of trenches.

The Gallipoli Campaign is known as one of the worst blunders committed by the Allied Forces during the First World War. Despite being first thought up long before the beginning of the war, it was ultimately a hastily arranged campaign that the British hoped would knock the Ottoman Empire—one of the Central Powers—out of the war and slow the German war machine. With Germany finding success on every front, the Allies were desperate for new ideas.

The Battle of Jutland, fought near Denmark’s Jutland peninsula in 1916, was unique in the first World War as the only major battle to be fought at sea. In this audiobook, you will hear about these battles, the personalities of the men involved, the planning, and the skirmishes that finally led to the confusion and devastating loss of life at the Battle of Jutland.

Fought from February to December 1916, the Battle of Verdun was intended to “bleed the French white” and bring their army to the point of collapse. Instigated by the Germans under the command of General Erich von Falkenhayn, it became a war of attrition that would benefit neither side. With its devastating death toll and the appalling number of wounded, the Battle of Verdun is one of the deadliest in history.

Known as one of the deadliest battles in history with its over one million casualties, the Battle of the Somme in 1916 is regarded by many as the ultimate war of attrition. Intended to bring about a swift end to the First World War, the British planned a grueling five-day bombardment of German forces, only to be thwarted at seemingly every turn. Bad weather, poor communication, inferior planning, hubris, and even betrayal led to the Battle of the Somme lasting longer than anyone had anticipated.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was the last of the German emperors who reigned over the German Empire and Prussia. In this audiobook, we will explore his life, both personal and professional, to find out more about how Kaiser Wilhelm II became the last German emperor.

The original international woman of mystery, Mata Hari is maligned as a spy and a traitor. Having seduced a number of the most powerful men in Europe, she was accused of spying for both Allied and Central Powers during the First World War. Mata Hari’s biography tells a different story. From her remarkable transformation from a captain’s wife and mother in the Dutch East Indies to the most celebrated stage presence in Europe, Mata Hari fought for what she believed in.