History 482 Discussion Questions
January 13, 2009

1. According to Jay Winter, what is "total war" and what are its most important attributes"?
2. What were the chief attributes of the world in 1914, and how did each of those contribute to, or have an impact on, WWI?
3. Why didn't what began in August 1914 simply become the Third Balkan War?  What escalated it from a regional to a global conflict?
4. What were the factors which prompted nations around the world to join the war?  Is there a common theme which explains such widespread participation?  How and why does the timing of participation vary?
5. How and why did the British experience in Africa differ from that of the French experience in Africa?
6. What was the nature of the war experience for participants from Africa?
7. According to the Canada War Book, why did Canada enter the war and what was the nature of Canada's relationship to Britain?