#25 Enemy: The Germans&#x27; War, ep. 1 - We Are The War

Henri Barbus

Halt! A fire of intense and incredible fury was threshing the parapets of the trench where we were halted at the moment.

Sebastian Barry

Here, novelist Sebastian Barry In his book A Long, Long Way About a young Irish soldier named Willie Dunn Does his best to put into words Willie's fi…

Alexander Watson

Alexander Watson, in his very good book, Ring of Steel, writes, quote, For the chief of staff of Crown Prince Wilhelm's army group on the Western Fro…

Episode summary

The First World War shattered a generation of Europeans. Killing took place on a monumental scale, as whole societies gave their all for their countries. German men who spent their young adulthood in the murderous trenches of the Great War, only to be crushed under the weight of a hostile world, would be senior officers in Hitler’s Wehrmacht, while their sons prepared for a rematch as young soldiers, sailors, and airmen. The harrowing experience of the First World War forged the men who fought the Second World War, so our story starts with that experience.The Martyr Made Podcast is a 100% listener-supported operation. Without you, none of this is possible. Please consider supporting the show by subscribing to The Martyr Made Substack (https://subscribe.martyrmade.com/) for just $5 p/month, or $50 p/year. In addition to the history show, you will have access to lots of subscribers-only content, including essays (with audio versions on a podcast feed), interviews, and exclusive podcast episodes. Thank you!

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Henri Barbus

The host references Henri Barbus's book to illustrate the harrowing experiences of soldiers during battle. The vivid…

Sebastian Barry

The host mentions 'A Long, Long Way' to highlight how Sebastian Barry captures the visceral experiences of soldiers d…

Alexander Watson

The host references 'Ring of Steel' to highlight the strategic considerations of German military leaders during World…

Intruder in the Dust

William Faulkner

The host references 'Intruder in the Dust' to illustrate the deep ancestral memories associated with loss and conflic…

The Politics of Hunger

Paul Vincent

The host mentions 'The Politics of Hunger' to illustrate the severe impact of food shortages in Germany during World…

The Attack in Positional Warfare

The host discusses how the Germans developed new offensive tactics during World War I, which were documented in the b…

Mein Kampf

The host discusses how Hitler's experiences during World War I influenced his views, particularly as expressed in 'Me…

Schopenhauer's Philosophicals

The host mentions 'Schopenhauer's Philosophicals' to highlight Hitler's intellectual pursuits during his time as a so…

experiences of soldiers(1)experiences of war(1)food scarcity during war(1)German military strategy(1)German offensive tactics(1)Hitler's early experiences(1)Hitler's reading habits(1)loss and memory in war(1)

Book mentions8

Media mentions1

Event size2

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What is #25 Enemy: The Germans' War, ep. 1 - We Are The War about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #25 Enemy: The Germans' War, ep. 1 - We Are The War on The Martyr Made Podcast.

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The conversation centers on experiences of soldiers.
A second recurring theme is experiences of war.
Referenced books include A Fire of Intense and Incredible Fury by Henri Barbus and A Long, Long Way by Sebastian Barry.
The strongest audience signal points to Readers interested in war literature and historical accounts of combat and Readers interested in historical fiction and war narratives.

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Which books are mentioned in #25 Enemy: The Germans' War, ep. 1 - We Are The War?

A Fire of Intense and Incredible Fury by Henri Barbus, A Long, Long Way by Sebastian Barry, and Ring of Steel by Alexander Watson are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Mention sentiment

Deep Dive(6)Critical Analysis(1)Passing Reference(1)

Audience signals

Readers interested in war literature and historical accounts of combatReaders interested in historical fiction and war narrativesHistorians and military strategy enthusiastsReaders interested in historical narratives and the psychological impact of warHistorians and those interested in wartime social issuesMilitary historians and strategy enthusiasts

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Henri Barbus

Best for Readers interested in war literature and historical accounts of combatOften cited around experiences of war

“Henri Barbus, a French soldier who wrote a novel based on his experiences while the war was still on, describes what it was like to go on the attack.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: experiences of war

For: Readers interested in war literature and historical accounts of combat

Key quote: “Halt! A fire of intense and incredible fury was threshing the parapets of the trench where we were halted at the moment.”

The host references Henri Barbus's book to illustrate the harrowing experiences of soldiers during battle. The vivid descriptions serve to convey the chaos and terror faced by individuals in wartime, enhancing the listener's understanding of the psychological impact of such experiences.

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Sebastian Barry

Best for Readers interested in historical fiction and war narrativesOften cited around experiences of soldiers

“Here, novelist Sebastian Barry in his book A Long, Long Way about a young Irish soldier named Willie Dunn does his best to put into words Willie's first encounter with poison gas.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: experiences of soldiers

For: Readers interested in historical fiction and war narratives

Key quote: “Here, novelist Sebastian Barry In his book A Long, Long Way About a young Irish soldier named Willie Dunn Does his best to put into words Willie's first encounter with poison gas.”

The host mentions 'A Long, Long Way' to highlight how Sebastian Barry captures the visceral experiences of soldiers during World War I. The narrative provides a profound insight into the emotional and physical realities faced by individuals like Willie Dunn amidst the chaos of battle.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Alexander Watson

Best for Historians and military strategy enthusiastsOften cited around German military strategy

“Alexander Watson, in his very good book, Ring of Steel, writes about the military strategies and assessments during World War I, particularly regarding the German army's tactics.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: German military strategy

For: Historians and military strategy enthusiasts

Key quote: “Alexander Watson, in his very good book, Ring of Steel, writes, quote, For the chief of staff of Crown Prince Wilhelm's army group on the Western Front, Colonel Count von der Schulenburg, an assault on the French offered the best prospect of victory.”

The host references 'Ring of Steel' to highlight the strategic considerations of German military leaders during World War I. The book provides insights into the internal debates regarding the best offensive approach against the Allies, emphasizing the complexities of warfare at that time.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Intruder in the Dust

William Faulkner

Best for Readers interested in historical narratives and the psychological impact of warOften cited around loss and memory in war

“In his 1948 novel, William Faulkner wrote about the ancestral memory American southerners have of the moment on July 3rd 1888, the first time a man was killed in the name of the people.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: loss and memory in war

For: Readers interested in historical narratives and the psychological impact of war

Key quote: “In his 1948 novel. Intruder in the Dust. William Faulkner wrote about the ancestral memory.”

The host references 'Intruder in the Dust' to illustrate the deep ancestral memories associated with loss and conflict in the Southern American psyche. Faulkner's exploration of pivotal moments in history resonates with the host's reflections on personal and collective experiences of defeat.

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The Politics of Hunger

Paul Vincent

Best for Historians and those interested in wartime social issuesOften cited around food scarcity during war

“Paul Vincent in his book, The Politics of Hunger, quotes an eyewitness about the severe effects of food scarcity during the war.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: food scarcity during war

For: Historians and those interested in wartime social issues

Key quote: “Once I set out for the purpose of finding in these food lines a face that did not show the ravages of hunger, but among the three hundred applicants for food there was not one who had had enough to eat for weeks.”

The host mentions 'The Politics of Hunger' to illustrate the severe impact of food shortages in Germany during World War I. The book provides firsthand accounts of the desperation faced by civilians as they struggled to find enough to eat amidst the blockade and rationing.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

The Attack in Positional Warfare

Best for Military historians and strategy enthusiastsOften cited around German offensive tactics

“The book was called The Attack in Positional Warfare, which was distributed to train soldiers on how to execute the coming attack during World War I.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: German offensive tactics

For: Military historians and strategy enthusiasts

Key quote: “I mean, literally, the book was called The Attack in Positional Warfare.”

The host discusses how the Germans developed new offensive tactics during World War I, which were documented in the book 'The Attack in Positional Warfare.' This book was crucial for training soldiers to adapt to the evolving nature of warfare and execute effective assaults against entrenched positions.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

Mein Kampf

Best for Historians and those studying World War IOften cited around Hitler's early experiences

“The excerpt discusses Hitler's narrative in Mein Kampf and how it relates to his ideological development and perceptions of Jews during his time in Munich.”

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Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: Hitler's early experiences

For: Historians and those studying World War I

Key quote: “Nearly every clerk was a Jew, he wrote in Mein Kampf.”

The host discusses how Hitler's experiences during World War I influenced his views, particularly as expressed in 'Mein Kampf'. The mention of the book serves to highlight the development of Hitler's anti-Semitic beliefs and his perception of morale among soldiers.

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Schopenhauer's Philosophicals

Best for Readers interested in historical biographies and psychological profiles of historical figures.Often cited around Hitler's reading habits

“He carried several in his pack, including a well-worn copy of Schopenhauer's Schopenhauer's Philosophicals, and a few of his most famous works.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: Hitler's reading habits

For: Readers interested in historical biographies and psychological profiles of historical figures.

Key quote: “He carried several in his pack, including a well-worn copy of Schopenhauer's Schopenhauer's Philosophicals, and a few of his most famous works.”

The host mentions 'Schopenhauer's Philosophicals' to highlight Hitler's intellectual pursuits during his time as a soldier. It illustrates how he was perceived as an intellectual despite his socially awkward demeanor.

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A Fire of Intense and Incredible Fury

The Martyr Made Podcast · 1:01:43

Halt! A fire of intense and incredible fury was threshing the parapets of the trench where we were halted at the moment.

A Long, Long Way

The Martyr Made Podcast · 1:12:24

Here, novelist Sebastian Barry In his book A Long, Long Way About a young Irish soldier named Willie Dunn Does his best to put into words Willie's fi…

Ring of Steel

The Martyr Made Podcast · 2:32:29

Alexander Watson, in his very good book, Ring of Steel, writes, quote, For the chief of staff of Crown Prince Wilhelm's army group on the Western Fro…

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Pick up the books after you hear them in context.

Buy links stay tied to the same book cards and timestamps shown above.

Mentioned at 1:01:43

Check price Jump to mention

Henri Barbus

The host references Henri Barbus's book to illustrate the harrowing experiences of soldiers during battle. The vivid descriptions serve to convey t…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 1:12:24

Check price Jump to mention

Sebastian Barry

The host mentions 'A Long, Long Way' to highlight how Sebastian Barry captures the visceral experiences of soldiers during World War I. The narrati…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 2:32:29

Check price Jump to mention

Alexander Watson

The host references 'Ring of Steel' to highlight the strategic considerations of German military leaders during World War I. The book provides insi…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

Movie

1917

Confidence: 100%

“The main character in that film was assigned to be a dispatch runner, and his mission in the film was to deliver a message from headquarters to a frontline unit.”