The First World war: Shaping Canada

1
The First World war Shaping Canadas
History1914-1918

• The Effects of Total war
• Canada Goes To War
• Controversies During WWI
• The war and Social Change in Canada
• Aftermath of Total War

2
The Effects of Total War

• Prior to WWI wars were limited to small armed
  conflicts fought by small professional armies
  with little civilian impact
• With the 20th century came nationalism and
  industrialization
• The nature of war changed to large untrained
  armies with great civilian impact

3
The Effects of Total War

• Advances in technology led to more powerful and
  easily moved weapons
• Merchant Marine Fleets supplies navies and
  transported troops and munitions to Europe
• By wars end (1918) 65 million soldiers fought
  and 30 million people died (from fighting half
  from disease)
• Canada sent 600 661 soldiers over 61 000 died,
  173 000 wounded

4
The Effects of Total War

• In most communities there wasnt a family that
  was not affected by the loss
• At Home
• The length of the war required the entire
  countries participation in the war effort
• Women volunteered overseas as nurses and
  ambulance drivers, as well as wrote letters to
  soldiers and held fundraisers
• Young boys took over for the many farmers who
  went to fight

5
Canada Goes To War

• Most Canadians supported involvement
• This was due in part by British and French
  Canadian ties to Europe and feelings of loyalty
  to these countries
• Canadas first active military force included
  only 3110 soldiers and 2 naval ships, plus 74 000
  in military reserves
• The first sent over were under the command of the
  British military

6
Canada Goes To War

• Canadian troops developed a reputation for
  extreme bravery
• Canadian troops were often sent into battle as
  the first line of attack
• Many key battles earned Canadians distinction in
  the Allied forces
• The most well known is the battle of Vimy Ridge
  that resulted in 10 602 casualties
• The battle was won marking a significant step
  towards victory

7
Canada Goes To War

• On the sea, we began with only 2 ships
• By the end of the war Canada had over 100
  warships with 5500 naval personnel
• This development of naval forces was due to the
  German U-boats sinking Merchant Marine vessels on
  the Atlantic

8
Canada Goes To War

• Canadians joined the British Royal Air Force
  since Canada didnt have an air force of its own
• 40 of this force were Canadian
• First planes were used mainly for reconnaissance
  then grew into fighting aircraft
• To be an Ace 5 kills were required
• 10 of the 27 top Aces of WWI were Canadian
• Most noted is Billy Bishop who had 72 victories
  and is credited with killing the Red Baron

9
Controversies During WWI

• After war broke out the Borden government passed
  the War Measures Act giving the government the
  power to enforce marshal law
• This Act allowed the development of internment
  camps holding those sympathetic to Germany (one
  was in Amherst)
• These camps held 83 000 suspected German and
  Austrian sympathizers who were treated like
  prisoners of war

10
Controversies During WWI

• The war effort refused admittance of First
  Nations Peoples until 1916 when more soldiers
  were necessary
• 4000 Aboriginal soldiers took part
• African Canadians faced barriers when attempting
  to enlist
• Over 1000 served in the Canadian construction
  battalion and never saw combat
• At the end of the war the military service of
  marginalized groups did not improve their status
  in Canadian society

11
Controversies During WWI

• Prime Minister Borden promised no conscription
• By 1916 however, more men were needed and
  conscription became a central issue during the
  1917 election
• After many political games Borden won, and passed
  the conscription bill
• This bill only gathered 60 000 men from which
  only 27 000 saw military service

12
The War and Social Change in Canada

• The war generated a tremendous boom in the
  economy and transformed Canada into a fully
  industrialized nation
• Because of a drop in the labour force, women took
  over many mens jobs
• This gave strength to the womens suffrage
  movement resulting in women winning the right to
  vote
• Unions gathered strength as well by capitalizing
  on the limited amount of skilled workers

13
The War and Social Change in Canada

• The government created many social agencies
  resulting in the Civil Service
• Victory Bonds were create to help finance the war
  effort
• Canadas first tax was also introduced as a
  temporary measure to pay for the very expensive
  war they turned out to be not so temporary

14
Aftermath of Total War

• WWI brought many significant changes to Canada as
  it developed as a Nation
• Included with all we have discussed the most
  important is that Canada found its place among
  the Community of Nations
• Canada was ultimately granted the right to make
  its own decisions in foreign affairs by British
  Parliament through the Statute of Westminster in
  1931

15
Case 6

• Please complete the following case study.
  Responses should be of high quality. Draft
  quality work will be returned unmarked.
• Please read chapter 4 and record vocabulary
  definitions in your own words. It is not
  necessary to copy all vocabulary directly from
  text.
• What were Canadas main military roles in and
  contributions to the First world war?
• 3) In what ways did WWI create social change in
  Canada?
• 4) How did the more controversial decisions of
  WWI affect Canada and Canadians?

16
Case Study 6 (contd)

• 5) How did WWI shape Canadas development as a
  nation? As member of the world community?
• 6) What difficulties did Aboriginals and African
  Canadians have in participating in the war?
• 7) What was the Conscription Crisis?