WWICanada and World War I

The War Game: Reflection

Task:Reflect on the war game and answer the following questions;•What was your impression of the war game?•What did you learn about war and concepts of war?•How did you interact with the other players?•What did you notice about relationships and power within the groups (countries)?•Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism

Recapitulate

• Confederation 1867• Relationship building, the Dominion of Canada• Urbanization—• Immigration• Industry, trade, farming• Forming of Canadian Identity (a young but

determined country)• British Imperialism

Sir Wilfred Laurier

• 1896, Liberal Party, 15 years—”The golden age of Laurier”

• Saw both the French and the English Canadian points of view (fairness, equality & compromise)

• “faithful to the nation who gave us life (France)…faithful to the great nation that gave us liberty (Britain)

• Distinct Identity

Imperialism

• While Canada was it’s own independent governing body, Britain still controlled Canada’s foreign affairs

• Britain defended, Britain negotiated the treaties

• French did not feel the same sense of loyalty to the British empire that English Canadians did

Navy Race

• Britain and Germany racing to build the largest navy

• In 1900, the British had a 3.7:1 tonnage advantage over Germany; in 1910 the ratio was 2.3:1 and in 1914, 2.1:1.

• Canada helped with ship building in the St. Lawrence sea-way

Militarism

• The Arms Race• The speculation of war (I think therefor I am)• The only way to guarantee peace was to

prepare for war• Attack and defense• Battleships, guns, explosives

Alliances

• Countries band together against a common threat

• Pledge to support each other in times of war• France and Germany had been in conflict• Triple Entente: France, Britain, Russia• Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Italy

Alliances

Nationalism• Deep Loyalty• Each Country trying to prove their dominance and

power• The Great Powers: (Italy, France, Germany, the British

Empire, Austria-Hungarian Empire and Russia) • Tensions over territory in the Balkans (Serbia, Austria,

Hungary and Bosnia--province)• Power struggle erupted because Bosnia wanted to be

part of Serbia

Chain Reactionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfIwY4Ej9aM

• Archduke Ferdinand—Read the article on Franz Ferdinand and answer the following:

1. How did his assassination lead to WWI He was the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

2. List 3 important points from the article that tell us something about WWI • On August 1, after hearing news of Russia’s general mobilization, Germany

declared war on Russia. • The great war involved Italy, Japan, the middle east and the United States, among

other countries.3. How does this article relate to CANADA Canada is part of the British Empire so if

Britain were to enter a war, Canada would automatically join alongside Britain. 4. What would happen if Jason serenaded us with his guitar?• Armageddon

Canada goes to WAR

• Since Canada was not a fully independent nation we went to war alongside Britain as part of their Empire.

• The extend of our involvement—war declared on August 4th, 1914 we offered 25,000 trained men on August 6th

• Recruiting campaign (Minister of Militia) $1/day• Canadian economy was slow (depressed) • Steady job, pay, free room and board, sense of

purpose & patriotism• http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/reaction-war-e.aspx

Trench Warfare

• Canadians Head Overseas: The First Canadian Contingent sailed for England in October 1914 with over 30,000 volunteers

• Cold and Wet Training: Canadians trained for four months, most of it in terrible mud, as England experienced one of its wettest winters in decades. While most of the troops stood up well to the awful conditions, Canadian equipment did not. Much of it was soon discarded in favour of British types.

• The Canadians learned basic soldiering in England after a hasty mobilization and a difficult, uncomfortable winter. Their real training would come at the front.

Life in the Trenches

• Rats, lice, exhaustion and trench foot• Stand to, day to day work• Night time danger• Steady trickle of death• “Shell Shock”

Battle of Ypres

• Ancient city in Belgium, first major battle of the war 1915

• Important: poison gas!• And Canadians were the

only ones able to hold their position and mount a counter attack

• 6000 men died

The Canadian Government sold Victory Bonds to Canadian citizens, private corporations and various organizations in order to raise funds to pay for the war. The bonds were a loan to the government that could be redeemed with interest after 5,10, or 20 years.

Socio-Political issues during

WWI• “Enemy Aliens”– The best and the worst (suspicion, intolerance, greed)– United like never before– 1914, 500 000 German, Austrian & Hungarian living in

Canada– War Measures Act—panic—internment camps – Register with police, remote areas, language,

discrimination, vandalism

War Measures Act• To control the civil liberties of those from enemy nation

states (Germany, Austria, Hungary)• provided for the declaration of war, invasion, or insurrection,

and the types of emergency measures that could thereby be taken.(a) censorship and the control and suppression of publications, writings, maps, plans, photographs, communications and means of communication;(b) arrest, detention, exclusion and deportation;(c) control of the harbours, ports and territorial waters of Canada and the movements of vessels;(d) transportation by land, air, or water and the control of the transport of persons and things;(e) trading, exportation, importation, production and manufacture;(f) appropriation, control, forfeiture and disposition of property and of the use thereof.

• Only 3 times in Canadian History

Missing Facesof Canadian History

• First Nations• Black Canadians• French• Ukrainian, Polish, German and European

Canadians• Read Pg. 75 together• Article: Medals and Memories

‘Total War’

• Enlisted the efforts, energies and passions of civilians as well as soldiers

• The Canadian government issued advice for the home during war;

• Pg. 107 “Spotlight”

The Home Front

• No sacrifice spared to ensure a victory Europe• Victory Gardens—Less meat—food sent over seas• Women organized card games, dances, bazaars &

variety shows to raise money• Chinese, Japanese, Jewish, Italian, Aboriginal and

Black women

What effects would the war have on your life? How would it be different than normal?

The Changing role of the

Government• Increasing number of controls: day-to-day lives,

“heatless days”, “Meatless Mondays”, “Fuelless Sundays”

• Victory Bonds• Income Tax –”temporary measure”…Wha happened?• Factories for ammunition, airplanes, shells, ships• Booming economy

Women• Nurses, ambulance drivers in field hospitals behind the

front lines• 30,000 Canadian women worked in munitions

factories• Drove buses, streetcars, banks,

police force, civil service jobs• Women brought in the harvest, city

women recruited to help• Knit sox, roll bandages,

Women

• Making decisions about the country• Suffragists (beginning of 20th century)• Nellie Mclung—”women should have exactly the

same freedom as men”• Point proven when WW1 broke out• 1916 Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta• 1917 Ontario, British Columbia• Wartime Elections Act• Dominion Elections Act (Parliament)

Do you think Aboriginal, Black, Japanese or Chinese women were given the vote?

Conscription

• 1917 death toll was mounting, volunteers dwindling, Prime Minister Robert Borden

• Conscription Bill: all able-bodied men required to join the army. No Choice.

A Country Divided

• Protest among French Canadians• English Canadians believed that Quebec was not

doing it’s part in the war• Quebec had only 20% volunteers compared to 92%

in Alberta and 63% in Ontario• Quebecois were farmers, needed for the war effort• French did not share the same enthusiasm for war,

did not believe their sons should be forced to join

France

• Quebec did not feel a strong tie to France• Felt they had been deserted by France when

they were conquered by British forces in 1760• French felt they were being treated like

second class citizens (i.e. French language rights taken away in Manitoba, Ontario)

Debate

British for Conscription

“You are Sir Robert Borden and have seen first hand the low morale, high death toll and threat of the German army against

the Triple Entente. The very lives of Canadians and our freedom is

endangered. You believe that honour, valour and the draw to protect our

country will encourage and support your decision for conscription.”

Quebecois against Conscription

“You are a farmer in rural Quebec, you have been breaking your back to produce food for the war effort and your family is important not only for food production but you fear for your sons lives. Canada

has already made a military display (men and money) proportionately superior to any nation engaged in the war. Further

weakening of the country would seriously handicap agricultural production and

other essential industries.”

The Air

• Airplane—a new and unproven invention• British Air Force (Canada didn’t have one)• Canadian air men talented—pilot training program• 1918 40% of British Air Force were Canadian• Fokker, Zeppelin, Sop• Trench warfare vs. Air• Percentage of pilots killed higher than any other branch• Dogfights: aerial duels “flamer” no parachutes

Billy Bishop & The Red Baron

• Billy Bishop, Canadian, 5-13 planes (pg.96)• Red Baron, German, 80 planes

The War at Sea

• U-Boat (submarine)• Lusitania—British luxury liner torpedoed, 1198

people drowned• The sinking of American ships brought the U.S. into

the war against Germany…turned the tide

The Last 100 Days

• Spring 1918—U.S. had entered against Germany

• Germany tried a massive sweep in France before the U.S. could arrive

• 80 Km from Paris, Canadian sweep against Germany

• The allied effort that finally broke the German military was called “The Hundred Days”

November 11th, 1918

• At pre-dawn Germany formally surrendered• Hostilities ceased at 11:00am that morning• 10:55 a sniper killed George Price, the last

Canadian to die• Belgium at Mons—”Vive les braves

Canadiens!”

In Flanders Fields

• Lieutenant Colonel John Mccrae, a Canadian physician

• Battle of Ypes