8.5 million soldiers died as a result from wounds and disease during the First World War, plunging a society into mourning as loved ones were left to deal with the loss of their family and friends. Desperately wanting to connect with their loved ones, families of fallen soldiers would seek out ways to do so, thus leading to the rise of spiritualism and the belief of ghosts in the post war years.In today’s episode James is joined by author and academic Professor Andrew Smith, to take us through this strange, yet fascinating, world of friendly spirits and malevolent beings. Together they take a look at the figures who appeared in the trenches, literature and in the minds of those who struggled to cope with the tragic losses of war.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.