Discussion Questions
January 27, 2014

In reading any of the materials from the period, such as the letters for this week, always take note of the language used.  How something is said is as important as what is said, particularly if we want to put ourselves back into the mindset of the period.

  1. As historians we must always carefully consider the nature of the sources that we use.  How can historians use correspondence to understand the war?  What are the assets and /or limitations of correspondence as a source?
  2. The Sudbury letter is particularly rich in details about army life and routine,  and historians can learn much from that account if read carefully.  Based on the letter, note as many significant details as you can about army life and routine.
  3. The Sudbury memoir provides some interesting and important insights into trench warfare in 1917.  What do you think is the most important detail you learned from the letter, and why?
  4. What is the message of Peat's speech?  What is his view of the soldier and of the experience of war that he brings to his audience?
  5. What are Matier's experiences on the front line?  What specifically did you learn about that experience from this letter?
  6. What is Bell's war experience from his letter?  What does that letter add to our understanding of the Canadian soldier experience in WWI?
  7. What is Brown's war experience from his letter?  What does that letter add to our understanding of the Canadian soldier experience in WWI?
  8. How does the tone and content of the Matier and Sudbury materials compare to that of Peat?  What might account for any differences?
  9. Overall, what was the single most important fact that you learned about the soldier experience from reading the primary accounts?
  10. What does Cook mean by the phrase "the politics" of surrender?
  11. Why were prisoners considered important?
  12. Conversely, if prisoners were considered important, why weren't all prisoners taken?  What were the factors which determined a successful surrender?
  13. What light does this article shed on the Canadian soldier experience specifically, and the war experience generally?
  14. Did Cook's article in any manner make you rethink what knew about the Canadian soldier experience?  If so, how?