Canadian Involvement in WWI. First arrived, remained with their divisions Separated and integrated into the British army

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1 Canadian Involvement in WWI First arrived, remained with their divisions Separated and integrated into the British army Noteworthy contributions: 2nd Battle of Ypres The Somme Vimy Ridge Passchendaele 2nd Battle of Ypres Germans introduced chlorine gas Canadians sent to reinforce French troops Advance stopped 6000 Canadian casualties **Both sides launched gas attacks**

2 The use of poison gas in warfare was banned by international agreement in Does it make sense to set rules for waging war? Battle of the Somme General Douglas Haig (British) 2 weeks: bombarded German line July 1st, 1916 British and Canadian troops attacked Defenses intact, met with machine gun fire NFLD Regiment (not linked to Canadian Army) attacked at Beaumont Hamel Nearly 800 men only 68 reported the next day Allied forces suffered 60,000 casualties on day 1 Nov. 1916: 650,000 casualties gained 545km 2 24,000 Canadians

3 The Battle of Vimy Ridge by 1917: both English and French attempts failed Height a key vantage point 1st time that Canada's 4 divisions were fighting as a single unit New tactics as a result of the "slaughter of the Somme": creeping barrage, scale models, tunnels April 9th, 1917: first wave of 20,000 Canadians moved toward the ridge Taken and held the next day New hope for Allies "Canada's Easter Gift to France" Vimy and Canadian Identity "As [the Canadian soldiers] looked across the Douai plain from the conquered ridge they felt that their nation had come of age. If a single milestone is needed to mark progress on the road to national maturity, one might do worse than nominate that famous Easter Monday" C.P. Stacey (Historian) The above statement illustrates how a large number of historians view Vimy. Explain why they might reach this conclusion.

4 Passchendaele Smaller part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres Germans held Ypres since 1914 (concrete bunkers) Haig ordered Currie and Canadian unit to take Passchendaele Ridge Sent scouts, rehearsed, creeping barrage Oct. 26, 1917 Canadians began the march November 10th: captured the ridge 15,654 soldiers were dead or wounded 3rd Battle of Ypres: 310,000 Allied casualties 260,000 German casualties Little significant gain = futility of WWI "The competence, confidence, and maturity begun in 1915 at Ypres a short distance away, and at Vimy Ridge earlier that spring, again confirmed the reputation of the Canadian Corps as the finest fighting formation on the Western Front." Ronald Haycock (historian) Do you agree? Should Canadians take pride in his judgement? Explain.

5 "The first day I went in, the mud was six inches deep everywhere, and in most places halfway up to my knees. The surrounding country was literally shot to pieces, looking like a field after trees and stumps have been pulled out, except that the holes are as deep as 10 feet and filled with water. The lips of one shell hole practically touch the lips of another. Robert Massie, Canadian artillery officer, recalling Pachendaele in 1918 Canada's Hundred Days 1917 ** Turning Point Russia surrendered to Germany in early 1918: 600,000 soldiers moved to Western Front August 8th, 1918 "Canada's Hundred Days" began Amiens: pushed German back 13 km

6 Canada's Hundred Days Aug. 8th: Amien Sept: Canal du Nord Oct. 11th: Cambrai Early Nov.: Valenciennes Nov. 10th: Mons Nov. 11th: Armistice signed Paris Peace Conference: 1919: representatives from the winning countries met in Paris Borden argued for independent Canadian participation at the peace table Canada signed treaties separately **Not a driving force in the creation process Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties: Why do you think Allies insisted on placing all the blame for the war on Germany? Given the situation in Europe before the war, was this fair?

7 War on the Home Front Financing: At its height: $1 million/day Gov. sold Victory Bonds (Bond Drives) 1916: Business taxes 1917: Income taxes **Temporary... Propaganda used to encourage: enlistement, purchase of war bonds, change eating habits, work harder/longer etc. Billboards, posters, parades, rallies Negative side? Home Front Cont'd Women's Roles 1914: limited job choices Women began running families, farms, businesses etc. Fraction of the pay Working conditions were dangerous ** Jobs were considered temporary "women were no longer satisfied to play their traditional roles as wives" right to vote: provincial elections 1917 federal vote gained later

8 The Munitions Scandal Sam Hughes: minister of militia and defense profitted $170 million in gov. contracts to make artillery shells 1915: word of profiteering leaked Hughes was accused of providing Canadians with "shoddy equipment" (leaky boots, Ross rifle) Forced to resign War Measures Act Act gives gov. power to pass laws without the approval of Parliament Overrule provincial laws Censor news media Tell manufacturers what they must produce Imprison without trial Label "Enemies of Canada"

9 Enemy Aliens Prior to the war: active campaign for immigrants By 1914: >1 million from regions part of the German and Austro Hungarian Empires lived in Canada Some new immigrants others descended from immigrants immigrants = spies... War Measures Act labeled 800,000 peoples "enemy aliens" rights = restricted ID cards, report to authorities, could not publish in any language other than English or French, could not leave the country without permission placed in internment camps forced to build roads/railways, work in mines, and clear land German language was banned from schools Some German speaking Canadians lost their jobs Rioters destroyed German owned shops Is being at war an appropriate reason to suspend citizens' rights? Despite their treatment, thousands of Can. of Ukrainian and German heritage enlisted. Think about Canadian identity and nationhood, and explain what might have motivated them to sign up.

10 Military Service Act: Act introduced conscription Violent protests erupted in Quebec Divided Canadians (only about of those who fought overseas were conscripts) Aboriginals were except from conscription Register at age 16 No such thing as "Canadian Citizen" Check off British Subject by Birth or by Choice Military Voters Act: all members of the military the right to vote