Discussion Questions

July 16, 2008

  1. Do you agree with Fussell's argument that the First World War was somehow more shocking because of its uniqueness and lack of precedent?  What evidence would you use to support such a contention?
  2. From what you have read, do you agree with Fussell's contention about the ironic nature of war?  Is it supported or contradicted by materials you have looked at?  Which materials, and how?
  3. On what evidence would you support Fussell's contention that heroism had disappeared with the war?  On what evidence would you argue against Fussell? Overall do you agree or disagree with Fussell's assessment on this point, and why?
  4. What is the image of the soldier represented in Recruitment: The Soldier Imagined ?  What does that representation tell us about the society which produced such an image?
  5. What does the comment by Keegan tell us about the experience of war?
  6. What do the Ross letters and the Poole letters tell us about war?
  7. What is the connection between the letters of Seeger (May 22, 1915), the letter to Marion Rice, Vera Brittain's memoir, and Fussell's comment on heroism?
  8. What specifically does the letter of Seeger of April 28, 1915 tell us about the nature of war and the soldier experience?  How would it fit with Sassoon's account of a raiding party?
  9. If your group had to pick one letter for class discussion, what would it be, and why?
  10. How do the letters extend our understanding of the soldier experience?   In answering this, pick out details which you think are particularly unique, insightful, etc. from the letters for discussion.
  11. How do the letters extend our understanding  of the homefront experience?  In answering this, pick out details which you think are particularly unique, insightful, etc. from the letters for discussion.
  12. Are there any particular assets or liabilities in using letters as a source which we as historians should be aware of?
  13. Of the "new ways of war" described by Beckett, which do you think was the most significant in changing the nature of war, and why?
  14. How did the shift in technology create a shift in tactics?  What are some specific examples?