One of the things I have found interesting about the reading from a Very Short Introduction is the reasoning behind each country's decision to go to war.  Most countries seemed reluctant yet obligated to get involved in the war due to their allegiances.  It seems as though the citizens of the countries tended more to be against getting involved in a war.  I will continue to think about this as we read further and in relation to the literary content we will read because I am curious to see if any of these authors address the reluctant obligation to go to war, especially from the authors who where writing from the trenches.