WW1 Centennial News for Wednesday March 15, 2017

Highlights

1.  1917 News - Wilson uses Executive order to arm merchant vessel - skips congress 

2. Guest - Mike Shuster - Russia goes into revolt

3. Commission - Patrouille de France to perform at April 6th event  & VFW joins WW1 Poppy Program

4. States - Bill Betten talks about California task force

5. Article - WWrite Blog - author Jerri Bell introduces WWI Navy Yeoman First Class Marjory Stoneman.

6. Media Spotlight - Will Smith's production company Tackling Max Brooks' 'Harlem Hellfighters'

7. Much more...

WW1 Centennial News - Weekly Podcast

World War One Centennial News:
March 15, 2017

World War One THEN

100 Year Ago This Week

Wilson Arms Merchant Vessels and Authorizes Them to Fire on U-BoatsPickup
Over the last three weeks, we have been talking about problems in the seas between the Germans and the US. One hundred years ago this week, we encounter a very frustrated president Wilson who makes a bold move to protect US merchant ships. On March 13th, 1917, Wilson decided that Congressional approval was not strictly necessary, and implemented by executive order. Most of the Armed Ships Bill state that any American-flagged vessel which desired a naval gun could request one, provided that it would be manned by trained officers and sailors of the US Navy. Follow the link in the chatroom to find out more.
Link: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/158376995433/wilson-arms-merchant-vessels-and-authorizes-them

Great War Project

There’s not just drumbeat to war here, there is growing chaos in other parts of the world. Mike Shuster with the Great War Project blog joins us to explain what was taking place in Russia.
LINK: www.greatwarproject.org/

War in the Sky

Next, let’s find out what was happening this week, in the skies over Europe in today’s War In The Sky segment.

High flying zeppelins mark a new strategy for Germany
LINK: http://ww1cc.org/warinthesky

The Great War Channel

This week, the Great War Channel has posted four new episodes.

1. Serbian Field Marshal Stepa Stepanovic I WHO DID WHAT IN WW1?2.
2. British India During World War 1
3. Camouflage Patterns - Funerary Practices - Prisoner Exchange

Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

World War One NOW

Commission News

Patrouille de France to perform at April 6th event in KC
The famed Patrouille de France (or PAF) will perform in the skies over Kansas City as part of the national commemoration event on April 6th, marking the 100 year anniversary of US entry into war. This PAF show will be part of their 2017 USA tour to express gratitude for US support to France during WWI. The Patrouille de France is the precision aerobatic demonstration team of the French Air Force. If you love the Blue Angels, you’re going to love them too. For more information, follow the link in the chatroom.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2015-patrouille-de-france-to-perform-at-april-6th-event-in-kansas-city.html

VFW joins WW1CC Poppy Program
An update on the poppy program - last week The Veterans of Foreign Wars, has officially partnered with the Commission on the program. The VFW has long advocated for our veterans, and we thank them for helping to raise awareness of the sacrifices made by our WW1 veterans.
Link: http://ww1cc.org/poppy

Activities and Events

In our activities & events this week, we invite you to check out the commission's event registry page. As the date of the centenary approaches, the states are beginning to come alive with WW1 commemorative events. In fact, there are over thirty events happening nationwide in just the next seven days. Stop by the page and see if there is something happening near you.
One event that seems to pop up around the nation, are these special screenings of the upcoming PBS American Experience documentary, “The Great War.” Earlier this year we had Carrie Phillips from the PBS on the show to talk about how you can get a screening in your town. If your interested, follow the link in the chartroom and fill out a request form.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventsbyyear/2017.html

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdH8KzyrOa98krijnAYkqxvHY9_vnQVqFJchIQjKVxOdAHiMQ/viewform

Updates From The States

Now let’s see what is going on around the country with some updates from the states.

California Comes Online
The California WW1 Centennial website is now up and running. To talk more about what they're up to we have Bill Betten, the Co director of the California World War One Centennial Taskforce.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/california-ww1-task-force.html

International Report

Belfast project will explore Muslim contribution to First World War
In the UK, the headlines read: Belfast Project will Explore Muslim Contribution to First World War. The organizations British Future and New Horizons in British Islam, are working with Queen's University and Northern Ireland historian Phillip Orr  to raise awareness amongst Belfast's Muslim and Christian communities of their common World War One history. A total of 1.5 million soldiers from undivided India fought for Britain in the First World War, 400,000 of them Muslims from what is now Pakistan.end here A workshop will be held among today’s local Muslim community in Belfast, facilitated by Jahan Mahmood (Muh.h.mood), historian and expert on the Indian contribution to the war. Follow the link to see the whole story.
Link: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-project-will-explore-muslim-contribution-to-first-world-war-35509381.html

Spotlight in the Media

Will Smith's Overbrook Tackling Max Brooks' 'Harlem Hellfighters' for History ChannelPickup
“Harlem Hellfighters”, the fact-based graphic novel by World War Z author Max Brooks, is getting the limited-series treatment from History Channel. The “Harlem Hellfighters” graphic novel is based on the real-life story of U.S. Army's 369th Infantry Division, an African American unit fighting in Europe during World War I. Jeremy Passmore and Andre Fabrizio, who wrote the earthquake adventure movie San Andreas, are on board to pen what is being developed as a six-hour series that will hail from A+E Studios in association with Overbrook Entertainment and Immersive Pictures. Find out more by following the link in the chatroom.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2020-will-smith-s-overbrook-tackling-max-brooks-harlem-hellfighters-for-history-channel.html

Posts and Articles

Interview with  Dr. Matt Field, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
This week on the commission’s site, you can find an interview with Dr. Matt Field.  Dr. Field, is from the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, DC. He is their Exhibits and Education Program Specialist, and is curator of a year-long exhibit entitled, “Congress and the World Wars”. The first part of the exhibit opened last Wed., March 8th and features Congress’s actions during World War I and World War II. Their second exhibit, on display September 13, 2017, through March 5, 2018, will feature Congress’s actions after the wars. The capitol receives three million visitors every year. Follow the URL and plan your trip today.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2016-four-questions-for-dr-matt-field-u-s-capitol-visitor-center.html

Interview with Noriko Kawamura
Very few people think about Asia’s involvement with the first world war. Recently, the Commission spoke with, Dr. Noriko Kawamura about her recent presentation on Japan's role in WWI given at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Kawamura is an associate professor of history at Washington State University. Her research focuses on the history of war, peace, and diplomacy in the Pacific World. Find out more details on Japan’s role in WWI by going to the link in the chatroom.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2019-three-questions-for-dr-noriko-kawamura.html

100 Cities 100 Memorials
There is a new post on our 100 Cities 100 Memorials Blog. This week we are shining a light on a citizen in Cape May County New Jersey, who wants to refurbish the local WW1 memorial to commemorate the sacrifice of the local veterans who served a century ago. There are many projects like this one out there which is exactly why our $200,000 dollar matching grant giveaway was created -- to help rescue ailing WW1 memorials. Support your local memorials by telling people about this program.
Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/100-cities-100-memorials-blog.html

WWrite Blog
This week in our WWrite blog, author Jerri Bell introduces the undiscovered richness of WWI Navy Yeoman First Class Marjory Stoneman Douglas' life. Douglas was a prolific writer, Naval servicewoman in WWI, and political activist who lived to be 108 year old.  A 1912 graduate of Wellesley, she married a con artist thirty years her senior and divorced him a year later when her father uncovered details of his financial fraud and forgery. Find out more about her life by reading the full post. Link is in the chatroom.

Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/1706-navy-veteran-jerri-bell-presents-wwi-navy-yeoman-f-first-class-marjory-stoneman-douglas-writing-advice-writing-life.html

The Buzz - Social Media Posts

Moving on, let’s see what was going in the world of social media this week with Katherine Akey.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/740273072814660/?type=3&theater

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/fashion/world-war-1-exhibition-paris.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&smvar=wkndbau&_r=0

http://wvxu.org/post/remembering-world-war-african-american-soldiers#stream/0

http://ww1cc.org/social

That’s it for March 15, 2017

WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US WW1 Centennial Commission and the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. The videos can be found at ww1cc.org/cn. Don’t forget to sign up for our  eNewsletter the Weekly DISPATCH.
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Thanks for joining us. and….
Don’t forget to commemorate!
So long.

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