The Great War
The First Soldier of Belgium - King Albert
While Belgium was largely occupied by the Germans during World War I, its king, Albert, is still considered a national hero. After holding back the Germans to buy precious time for the Allies, Albert worked tirelessly to protect his...
The Great War
Dancer, Lover, Spy - Mata Hari
Femme fatale? German spy? French spy? Mata Hari's origin story and her espionage during World War I are clouded by the legends surrounding her. With more recently declassified documents, historians have a better understanding of her role...
The Great War
Edith Cavell - Not A Martyr But A Nurse
Was British nurse Edith Cavell a spy? Just doing her job? A martyr and saint? Perhaps all of the above? Edith Cavell was executed by a hastily arranged firing squad for helping wounded British soldiers in German-occupied Belgium during...
The Great War
From Socialist to Fascist - Benito Mussolini in World War 1
While Benito Mussolini made his mark as the Italian fascist dictator during World War II, his experiences during the Great War formed his beliefs. An informative video traces the complex narrative, covering Mussolini's early life, his...
The Great War
Defender of Gallipoli - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is considered the Father of the Turks, and his picture is still proudly displayed in homes and businesses throughout modern Turkey. Despite being a symbol of Turkish identity, Ataturk didn't begin formal schooling...
The Great War
The Forgotten War Heroine - Milunka Savic
While she was forgotten for much of the twentieth century, historians rediscovered Milunka Savic's exploits for the Serbian army during World War I. Although command was unsure of what to do with a female solider, Savic went on to prove...
The Great War
Colonial Glory And World War 1 Reality - British Field Marshal John French
Despite the violence of the colonial era, Great Britain was not prepared for the sheer volume of casualties in the Great War. British Field Marshal John French was one of the first to direct Britain's fight, but he was dismissed when the...
The Great War
Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria could have been a successful leader, but his aspirations for war led him to eventual exile. Bulgaria—part of the Balkan powder keg—has a complicated history. Unravel the events to help your budding historians...
The Great War
The Merchant of Death - Basil Zaharoff
He was so violent and ruthless that he continues to inspire the bad guy in pop culture. Despite that, Basil Zaharoff, or The Merchant of Death, is still relatively unknown among most young historians. Zarahoff, an arms dealer, created a...
The Great War
The Last Hussar - August von Mackensen
Described as a life less ordinary, August von Mackensen was one of Germany's key generals during World War I. Detailed in its approach, an informative video describes his military career, along with some of his doubts about the conflict...
The Great War
Father Victory - Georges Clemenceau
Known as Father Victory, Georges Clemenceau's political career opens the door for classroom engagement around leadership style and the role of dissension in wartime. Clemenceau was both a censored critic of the French government and the...
The Great War
The Fightinest Marine - Dan Daly
Dan Daly was the quintessential Marine, best known for his military exploits spanning multiple military conflicts. Daly's video biography discusses these adventures and points out his character and unassuming personality.
The Great War
Australian General John Monash
It is unlikely Americans have heard of Australian General John Monash. Despite that, he played a key role in the leadership of Allied forces during World War I. Young historians learn of the less famous warrior of the Great War,...
The Great War
Crown Prince Rupprecht and Erich Ludendorff - Westerner vs. Easterner
How to take on the Allied forces during World War I? Crown Prince Rupprecht and Erich Ludendorff used specific strategies and tactics to answer the question during the Great War. Despite their differences in tactics, both men were...
PBS
The Teotihuacan Fire Ceremony
Fire and light play an almost universal role in world religions, and the predecessors for the Aztecs were no exception. Using an animation, the enlightening video recreates the Teotichuacan Fire Ceremony with rich details and features...
The Great War
Franz Joseph I - The Father of Austria-Hungary
How do personal tragedies affect the political decisions of leaders? Franz Joseph I, the increasingly isolated emperor of the Austrian-Hungarian empire, faced several traumatic events that likely influenced his decisions in the war....
The Great War
Serbian Field Marshal Stepa Stepanovic
Stepa Stepanovic is hardly a household name, but an intriguing video biography demonstrates the role he played in shaping Serbia's history and entry into the war. Stepanovic is well known in Serbia as an advocate for his troops. Covered...
The Great War
Reinventing Cavalry in WW1 - Bulgarian General Ivan Kolev
He was once erased from the history books because he was considered by communist-controlled Bulgaria, as a dangerous influence. But Bulgarian General Ivan Kolev made his mark by using horses in a time of tanks. Use Kolev's story to...
The Great War
Hero or Burden? - King Constantine I of Greece
Was King Constantine I the savior of Greece? A soldier before a king? A German sympathizer? A supporter of neutrality? King Constantine I—twice installed upon Greece's throne—reflects his small country's struggles during the Great War....
PBS
The Comanche and the Horse
There was a time when the Comanche controlled an empire in North America, and the heart and soul of that empire was the horse. Scholars use the installment of the larger Native American Sacred Stories series to explore how the Spanish...
PBS
The Hopi Origin Story
Help learners connect with the idea of being centered as they explore the Hopi origin story. The Hopi people believe their Creator called them up out of the earth and told them to journey until they found a center space they could call...
The Great War
Maria Bochkareva and the 1st Russian Women's Battalion of Death
A woman in a man's war, Maria Bochkareva led a battalion of females who pledged to fight for Russia unto the death. An informative video highlights the ways her international celebrity inspired other countrymen and women to sacrifice...
The Great War
Georges Guynemer - The Flying Icon of France
Georges Guynemer's legend lives on in statues, street names, and even a Twilight Zone Episode, but few American learners have ever heard of the French national hero. Considered the ace of aces, Guynemer was part of the rock star elite of...
The Great War
Lenin and Trotsky - Their Rise To Power
Textbooks often mention the Man of Steel and his nemesis, but seldom do they investigate in-depth the inner workings of Russia before it established a separate peace and ended its involvement in World War I. Exploring the intricacies of...