Q&A with Margaret MacMillan

Margaret MacMillan talked about her historical narrative, "The War that Ended Peace: The Road to 1914", in which she describes in detail the assassination in 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and why his death led to the outbreak of World War I. MacMillan said she realized she could not simply start at 1914 to begin her chronicle. She said she established a context beginning in the 1890s to explain some underlying causes for an imminent war. She talks about the fall of many old European empires and profiled royal characters in Europe during the war, including Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Czar Nicholas II of Russia, and King Edward V of England. In addition, she discussed America's reluctance to enter World War I and its subsequent role in the conflict. MacMillan also talked about how her family immigrated to Canada from England after World War II broke out.

[@recherche4528]

Thank you for this wonderful conversation.

[@BudFieldsPPTS]

A fascinating exchange between hard hitting questions and home run responses. Thank you for this.

[@uncletony6210]

The Lamb Man seldom disappoints.

[@idicula1979]

I feel like most 19th century European war can be told through the conflict of France and Germany, the Franco Prussian war, Nepoleonic war and of course World War One and two. I would like to see a book on the life of these two countries.

[@francaulfield6742]

Margaret MacMillian’s books, Paris 1919 and The War that Ended Peace, grow in importance as we muddle through international relations a hundred years later. Brexit, NATO weakening, and nationalizism are just three of the most recent movements, since this interview, that are driving allies apart.

[@joaquinpraveenvishnu8509]

I love this so much!

[@johnbarham6406]

The man in the picture is King George V, not Edward VII

[@SuperTonyony]

Those three dislikes are from people who thought they were voting "dis I like!".

[@dejabu24]

what kind of neutral country send supplies(maybe weapons) to an other country that its at war , isn't that very neutral

[@scottzike1054]

Ms MacMillan again shows her breadth of knowledge and insight. Unfortunately the questioner is an idiot or perhaps is showing what he thinks of Americans with his less than interesting questions. What is a Kaiser ?? What is a Czar ?? Come on .. folks that come to listen to her are much more well versed than that .. it is a shame his questions were so sophomoric.

[@algonquin91]

I was thinking that too... I was expecting him to ask "What is Europe?"