The War to End All Wars - Part II - Opening Rounds - The French 75 (Cocktail)

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"We are about to engage in a battle on which the fate of our country depends...the moment has passed for looking at the rear...Troops that can advance no farther must, at any price, hold the ground they have conquered and die on the spot rather than give way." - General Joseph Joffre, Order of the Day - September 5th, 1914.

In the summer of 1914, Europe stood at the height of its confidence. Empires were wealthy, technology was advancing at a breathtaking pace, and many believed that war, if it came at all, would be brief, controlled, and cleansing.

When a gunshot rang out in Sarajevo, few imagined it would ignite a global conflict. Yet within weeks, diplomatic miscalculations, rigid alliances, and decades of simmering tension dragged the continent into war. What followed was not the heroic struggle so many expected, but the opening act of a catastrophe that would reshape the modern world.

On this episode, the Hungry Historian examines the opening months and battles of the First World War. Follow along as we go over the rush to mobilization, the confidence of generals and politicians, the grand strategies meant to deliver swift victory, and the belief that speed and offensive spirit would decide the conflict.

Instead, these first battles revealed a grim new reality.

On the Western Front, mass armies collided with machine guns and heavy artillery, producing casualties on an unprecedented scale. On the Eastern Front, sweeping movements and unexpected defeats shattered assumptions about both Russian weakness and German invincibility.

As 1914 unfolded, the war exposed the brutal power of industrialized violence. Soldiers marched off amid cheering crowds, only to find themselves trapped in landscapes of fire, mud, and fear.

By the end of the year, the world had changed. The war that began with optimism and illusion ended 1914 in stalemate and shock, with millions dead or wounded and no clear path forward. This episode explores how those early months set the tone for the rest of the First World War, and why 1914 stands as the moment when the old world finally broke apart.

Never one to disappoint, Chef Money has traded in his jacket for a bartender apron and is bringing you a featured recipe inspired by today's episode and one of the premier weapons of the First World War - The French 75.

Cheers!

The French 75

• Champagne or Sparkling Wine
• Gin
• Lemon Juice
• Simple Syrup

** Featured Recipe directions are available within the show or on the exclusive Instagram account of The Hungry Historian - @hungry_historian.