Summary: <br> WW1 Centennial News for Wednesday April 5, 2017<br> Highlights<br> <br> WW1 Then - Heading into "Bloody April" in the Great War In The Sky | 06:00<br> <br> <br> Guest - Ed Bilous Artistic Director for "In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace" Kansas City event | 09:00<br> <br> <br> News - Indiana and Florida WW1 sites goes live at ww1cc.org/indiana and ww1cc.org/florida | 16:10<br> <br> <br> News - National focus by major media on WW1 rises as we approach April 6, 2017 | 18:45<br> <br> <br> WWrite blog - Gulf War veteran Seth Brady Tucker explains the influence of WWI poetry on his own writing | 19:55<br> <br> Much more...<br> Get links below - Watch the podcast above<br> <br> WW1 Centennial News - Weekly Video Podcast<br> <br> World War One Centennial News: <br> April 5, 2017<br> <br> Opening<br> Welcome to World War One Centennial News. It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration.<br> WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Today is April 5th, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host today.<br> Tomorrow, April 6th, marks the centenary of our nation’s entrance into first global conflict of the modern era, World War One. <br> Thank you to all of our listeners out there - who have been with us on this amazing journey coming up to this pivotal moment. And if you thought the run up was dramatic - you will be amazed at what happens to our nation, our culture, our politics, our technology and our position in the world over the coming months.<br> World War One THEN <br> 100 Year Ago This Week<br> The headline reads - Danish Virgin Islands transfer to the United States.<br> The Americans were concerned that the Germans might seize Denmark’s colonies, giving them a submarine base in the Caribbean. <br> To prevent this, the United States and Denmark signed a treaty in 1916 to buy the islands for $25 million. Denmark ratified the treaty in December - after a national referendum - which approved the measure by nearly two-to-one. <br> The Danish flag was lowered over the Virgin Islands two days before Wilson was expected to ask Congress for a declaration of war on Germany 100 years ago this week. <br> Link: <a href="http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/159046372293/danish-virgin-islands-transferred-to-united-states">http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/159046372293/danish-virgin-islands-transferred-to-united-states</a><br> Great War Project<br> Joining us next is former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project. Mike - thanks for sending me the post… <br> Your story on the Great War Project takes us all the way up to TODAY April 5th 100 years ago - and there is still a huge reluctance to cross the line to war… tell us about it Mike… <br> LINK:<br> <a href="http://www.greatwarproject.org/">www.greatwarproject.org/</a><br> Thanks, Mike Shuster and the Great War Project blog.<br> War in the Sky <br> We are heading into a very tumultuous time.<br> The month becomes known as “Bloody April.” <br> In overview, The UK’s Royal Flying Corp, while supporting the Arras offensive, loses 245 aircraft—140 in the first two weeks—out of an initial strength of 365. Aircrew casualties are 211 killed or missing and 108 captured. The opposing Germans lose only 66 aircraft. <br> Jasta “Boelcke” - you remember them - the squadron named after the man who defined the original techniques for air to air combat - well the squadron shoots down 21 allies, Jasta 11 downs 89, and Von Richthofen alone shoots down 20 allies this month. It’s a bad month for allied air operations.<br> On April 4th, the British begin the air offensive for the Battle of Arras, aimed to capture Vimy Ridge. We will be talking more about that f
