TRENCH WARFARE

TRENCH WARFARE As WWI began, Germany invaded

Belgium on their way to France In Belgium the Allies stopped them Germans couldn’t continue, but Allies

couldn’t push them back. Stalemate Both side dug defensive trenches in

the ground

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

ALFRED VON SCHLIEFFEN

TRENCHES

Trenches - excavation or depression in the ground

Early 1915, the first Canadian soldiers arrived in France as part of the British army

They dug and lived in Trenches The line of trenches went from the

North Sea to the Swiss Alps The “Western Front” Central Powers also fought Russians on

the Eastern Front

TRENCH

Barbed wire was placed in front of the trenches

The area between the enemy trenches was called no man’s land

TRENCH LIFE Soldiers were often

wet, cold and dirty They had to work,

eat, sleep in the water or mud

When not fighting, soldiers lived in holes in the ground called : dug out’s

TRENCH FOOT medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to

damp, unsanitary and cold conditions

TRENCH LIFE Two big problems: Rats and Lice

TRENCH LIFE

Rats would eat the bodies of dead soldiers in no man’s land

Disease and infections were everywhere because of rats, lice and flies

Dying soldiers cried, dead & rotting bodies smelled, the guns never stopped firing on the trenches

TRENCH LIFE Soldiers had to climb out of the trench

to attack the enemy. This was called “going over the top”

Soldiers knew they were going to die Shellshock: when you become

mentally ill from fighting Christmas Day 1914 British & German

soldiers played football and spoke about peace.

Bodies of more than 11,000 Canadian soldiers were never recovered

Watch Passchendaele Video on website

CANADA’S CONTRIBUTION

Canada’s first major battle was at Second Battle of Ypres, Belgium

April 1915 New German surprise

weapon: Chlorine Gas

Some allies ran away, Canadians stayed!

6000 Canadians died

Battle ended in a stalemate

WHERE IS BELGIUM?

BATTLE OF THE SOMME

July 1st 1916 – British launched major attack near the Somme River in France

Germans were ready Terrible bloodbath for

both sides 60,000 British

casualties on the 1st day

BATTLE OF THE SOMME

First use of the tank Attack lasted 5 months 24,000 Canadians

killed 624,000 Allied soldiers

killed Gained 545 kilometres

Earl Haig

Canadian army’s biggest victory was in April 1917.

Vimy Ridge

Vimy Ridge memorial

VIMY RIDGE

The Allies tried to capture the hill many times, but failed

200,000 soldiers died trying Canadians planned the attack They tunnelled under the hill + used

explosive mines. Canadians were successful! Some say we became an independent

country because of Vimy Ridge

ARTHUR CURRIE Canadian

General – helped plan the battle of Vimy Ridge

Canadian Flag during WWI

The Canadian Government sold Victory Bonds to Canadian citizens, private corporations and various organizations in order to raise funds to pay for the war.

20,000 Canadians joined the RAF (Royal Air Force)

Airplanes were a new invention Most famous Canadian WWI pilot was:

Billy Bishop

Planes were not strong, crashed easily Machine guns were put on planes “Dog-Fights” – fights between planes

Canada now had respect for it’s help in the war

Canada was now seen as a country, not a colony