Discussion Questions

January 10, 2006

1. What are the essential differences which separate the various interpretations of causation?  Are there any grounds on which some or all might agree?
2. In contrast to the immediate cause of the war,  what importance does Fay attach to underlying causes?  How does this compare with Mayer's interpretation of events?
3. Why was Fay's revisionism more acceptable in the 1920s than in subsequent decades? 
4. What is the basis of Barnes' revisionism?
5. What was Canada's relationship to Britain and what was Canada's rationale for war?
6. What were both a) the short term crises and b) the long term developments which contributed to the outbreak of war?  Is there one event, crisis, or development more important than the others in understanding the outbreak of the war?

Course Themes
Throughout the duration of the course we will be considering a number of ongoing themes which can tie the materials together.  In your examination of the course materials,  consider whether the individual is an active or a passive force in the context of the war.