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World War 1
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Schlieffen Plan
Germany had to fight a two front war against Russia and France. They knew they could not win so they devised a plan to avoid fighting at two fronts. They decided to hold off Russia while attempting to invade France through the small neutral country of Belgium. Because Germany disturbed Belgium’s neutrality the British came into play, -
Robert Borden
Robert Borden was the Prime Minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. During 1914, he issued the War Measures Act. This act gave the government authority to do everything necessary for "the security, defence, peace, order and welfare" of Canada. This gave the government the power to intervene directly for the better of Canada. -
Western Front
The Western Front is the area in Western Europe where fighting took place during World War One. Battles were fought using trench warfare and caused inconclusive outcomes with heavy casualties for both sides. -
Sam Hughes
The minister of Militia and Defence as the war broke out was Sir Sam Hughes. On top of that Sir Sam Hughes was also the creator of the shell committee. Sam set up a training camp at Valcartier Quebec for over 30,000 men. During October 1914 Canadian troops were deployed oversees to serve at the front lines of France. -
Trench Warfare
During World War One trench warfare was a standard war tactic. These trenches protected against enemy fire but these men were not protecting against artillery fire. These trenches were often muddy, filled with fallen soldiers, rats, lice and other fungal diseases. Opposing trenches were roughly 400 meters apart. -
Trench Foot
Due to the terrible conditions of the trenches including the mud, lice, rats and rotting corpses, the disease, Trench Foot was common among the soldiers. Trench Foot was a painful condition that caused soldiers feet to swell up and turn black. -
No Mans Land
No man’s land was a narrow strip of muddy land between the two opposing trenches. This land consisted of many corpses, barbed wire, mud and holes from the artilleries. Many men died in No man’s land because when you went over the top you would be vulnerable to gun fire from the enemy. Injured soldiers in No man’s land would die because rescuing them would be suicide. -
Stalemate
In the case of World War One, a stalemate was when no progress of offense could be made. These stalemates prolonged the war, causing many more casualties than necessary. -
Attrition
A common strategy used during World War One was attrition. This strategy involved crippling the enemy’s resources until a point where you have the upper hand in combat. This military strategy usually caused heavy casualty counts on both sides. -
Battle of Ypres
The Battle of Ypres took place in Belgium. This was the first battle in which the Canadian and French troops used the war tactic of trench warfare. This battle was also significant because it was the first attack of chlorine gas in history. This attack forced the French and Canadian troops to fall back. Over 6000 Canadians died as a result of this battle. -
Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British passenger ship, which was sank by a German U-boat`s torpedo. A total of 1198 people drowned as a result and 128 of these people were rich and powerful Americans. This event made Americans turn against Germany. Two years later, the Americans joined the war against Germany. -
Battle of Verdum
The Battle of Verdun was fought by the French and German armies in north-eastern France. This battle lasted six months and caused 500,000 casualties on the French side alone. The war tactic used in this battle by the French was attrition. The French army took a huge hit during this battle. -
Billy Bishop
Billy Bishop was one of Canada's greatest pilots at the time of the War. Billy took down 72 enemy aircrafts and because of these efforts; he was awarded the Victoria Cross, a military honour for courage and bravery. -
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme took place in France, near the Belgium border. While the Germans were fighting the French at Verdun, allied commanders attempted to end trench warfare by launching a huge attack on German trenches. This attack failed which meant the Germans remained stagnant. Over 20,000 Canadian soldiers lost their life during this battle. After five months, the battle had ended and only a few miles of land were gained for this vicious blood bath. -
Battle of VImy Ridge
In October 1914 Vimy Ridge was controlled by the Germans. Vimy Ridge was a strategic military stronghold because it was easy to defend and dangerous to attack due to the nature of its geographical positioning. After many attempts to recover Vimy Ridge by the British and French troops, the Canadians arrived. After much preparation they succeeded in the capture. This was significant for Canada because this was the first time they proved their military capabilities. -
Military Service Act
The Military Service Act made conscription mandatory for all males between the ages of 20 to 45. This act prioritized the younger men first. When the act began it allowed exemptions for the disabled, the clergy, those with essential jobs or skills, or one who opposes war for religious or moral reasons. Conscription turned out to be very controversial and divided the country and caused lasting scars. -
Battle Of Paschendaele
At the muddy Battle of Passchendaele, Canadian troops were commanded to attack the Germans. General Arthur Currie explained that the town of Passchendaele could not be acquired due to the very muddy conditions. Currie was overruled and the Canadians followed through with the attack. They conquered and held the town long enough for reinforcements to arrive. However, 16,000 men died for only 7km of mud which was lost to the Germans soon after. -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was very violent. The Bolsheviks created a communist regime which means that factories, farms, transportation and stores were all publicly owned. There was no individual ownership of business or land. The ideas of the revolutionaries motivated workers in Canada to attempt to improve working conditions here. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the treaty`s that ended the first World War. This treaty implemented strict guidelines for Germany to follow. This document created terms of peace between Germany and the allies. Germany had to agree that they were the cause of war. They also had to return Alsace-Loraine and pay war compensations of about 30 billion dollars. Germans had to restrict their army and surrender their navy. Austria and Germany were forbidden to unite. -
League of Nations
The League of Nations was formed due to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Woodrow Wilson proposed this idea as part of his 14 point plan. The League was based upon collective security. For example if one member was under attack, then all members must come to the aid of said member. Prime Minister Borden also won the right to become a member of this newly formed league. There were 42 founding nations, and they all met in Paris in January 16, 1920. Not everyone liked this idea. -
Bibliography
Michael Cranny, Garvin Moles. Counterpoints. Don Mills: Pearson Canada inc, 2010. Yvette Plante, Jorda Miller. Social Studies Eleven Student Workbook. St. Surrey: Hazelmere Publishing, January 2005. "Google Images." Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.google.ca/imghp?hl=en.
